Despite a, 108-122, loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night, the Miami Heat have had one of their most consistent stretches of the season. It’s come at a valuable time, as Miami gears up for yet another potentially deep postseason run.
With a 31-point outburst during Saturday’s loss to the Bucks, Heat starting Point Guard Kendrick Nunn was unstoppable in abscence of Heat star Jimmy Butler, who had to miss a critical game with playoff implications with a back injury. Nunn, who has been on a consistent tear in his previous ten games, is averaging of 18.4 points on an efficient 53 percent shooting from the field, and has gone 28-68 from outside the arc on 41 percent shooting.
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However, Nunn’s usage has descended at an ongoing rate. While the former 2019-20 Rookie of the Year runner-up categorizes primarily as a scoring guard, the ability to facilitate for Nunn opens up opportunities for himself and others.
Those abilities, however, haven’t been showcased as much as the season prior. Although it’s been completely understandable with the dominant ball-handling duties of Heat franchise players in Butler and even Bam Adebayo, an area they excel in, that’s the case.
The Miami Heat have a few questions to answer this offseason, but what about the Nunn one?
However, Nunn has been conflictingly placed in smaller roles by Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra throughout the year. And while still ranking top-five in games and minutes played for Miami this season, there has been an issue with Nunn being able to provide offense as a spark plug.
However, with the NBA trade deadline addition of Victor Oladipo, it was heavily assumed that the 25 year-old would be a backup for the former All-Star but with a season-ending injury to Oladipo (appeared in just four games for Miami), Nunn will continue on as a Heat starter — at least until this summer.
No matter where Miami finishes this season, they have several decisions to make in the offseason and this recent play from Nunn moves the needle in their free agent priorities. As the Heat are expected to extend a qualifying offer of just over $4.7 million after this season, Nunn will enter this upcoming summer as a Restricted Free Agent.
This forces Miami to match any offer for him if he chooses to sign with another team. However, whether many viewers agree or not, a recommended option for the Heat front office might be to move forward from the 25 year-old scoring-combo-guard after this season.
The Miami Heat might have to write a big check to retain Kendrick Nunn, if they want to, of course.
Already with looming questions in regards to Duncan Robinson (also RFA), the Heat’s primary concern this summer should be to acquire a perennial All-Star — as well as retaining quality veterans like as Dewayne Dedmon and Goran Dragic. In comparison to those players listed, Nunn has struggled to find an established role since his rookie year.
It hasn’t just been whether he starts or not, it’s been a struggle throughout offensive sets, and being forced to play off the ball. Nonetheless, it’s still been some consistent production for the former Chicago native, most of the season.
Expect teams to offer between $13-15 million a year for Nunn, as it’s much deserved. You could expect rebuilding teams such as the Chicago Bulls or Detroit Pistons, who could use another secondary ball-handler to improve their depth, to offer that kind of money.
Regardless of how he performs in the upcoming postseason though, the outcome that Nunn may continue his future in a Heat uniform, is growing more-and-more improbable by the day.