Miami Heat point guard target #2: Austin Rivers
Austin Rivers does a little bit of everything on the basketball court. In addition, he has the exact mindset that the Miami Heat look for in their players.
Rivers is a solid defender who shoots the ball super well. He started off last season hot with the Knicks before joining the Nuggets later on in the year.
He stepped up big-time in the playoffs when the Denver Nuggets needed him to. His confidence never wavered and he was willing to take any and every shot in the clutch.
In that series, he averaged 11.5 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.3 assists. Rivers also shot the ball insanely well, shooting 47.8% from the field and 48.4% from deep.
Despite showing the ability to produce solid stats, Rivers has played on seven teams during his nine-year career. However, he’s only 28 years old and still has plenty left in the tank.
His price tag could end up being a little bit more than a veteran minimum contract. Even if it requires utilizing the MLE, though, it could be worth it for the Heat.
He’s never been an elite playmaker by any means, but he does his job well. Rivers is a solid scorer that can hold his own on the defensive end.
Perhaps his best attribute, however, is his ability to step up when it matters most. This would end up being a very underrated signing if the Miami Heat were able to get a deal done.