The Miami Heat landed Victor Oladipo at the deadline, but they didn’t have him much.
It wasn’t even that he looked bad; he just didn’t look healthy. It’s par for the course this season, as the Indiana product struggled through nine games with the Indiana Pacers and 20 games with the Houston Rockets.
He failed even to scratch the gear he found in the 2017-18 season. When he went down with the Heat, it was more akin to an inevitable event taking place rather than an unforeseen conclusion.
So, what now? Does Oladipo hit free agency?
Does he take his talents elsewhere? The resume does not look promising if he is hoping for another big payday.
He has failed to play over 40 games since 2018. Since then, his shooting percentage in nearly each percentage-charted category has dropped, also impacting his ability to create plays.
Instead of being the life of the offense, he’s struggled to find his sea legs. None of this is an indictment.
He is, after all, trying to come back from a bevy of nagging leg injuries. It is, however, reality and a reality that teams will look at before ponying up cash.