4. Taj Gibson
Heat fans remember Taj Gibson well. During the Big Three era, he was constantly a thorn in Miami’s side while playing with the Chicago Bulls. More specifically, he was the guy who baptized Dwyane Wade that one time.
Never forget.
In all seriousness (ill feelings aside), Gibson is still performing at a high level. He was recently traded to the Thunder to help bolster their starting lineup, and though kinks are still getting worked out, he has been better for them of late.
For the season, Gibson is averaging 11.1 and 6.6 rebounds on 51.8 percent shooting. Defensively, he’s a stalwart, ranking 76th overall in defensive win shares, while posting a healthy 2.6 percent block rate.
The Heat would lose some of their coveted spacing by adding Gibson, but pairing him with Whiteside along with a healthy Justise Winslow would form arguably the best defensive frontcourt in the NBA.
Interestingly enough, it appears that one of Miami’s guards has started the recruiting process early.
pic.twitter.com/53ODJSIJr8 https://t.co/zsA29Gp7N2
— Goran Dragić (@Goran_Dragic) March 3, 2017
https://twitter.com/Goran_Dragic/status/837525741004713985
Just kidding, of course. Riley would never let his star players recruit a competitor before they hit free agency! LALALA-I can’t hear you-LALALA.