9 Players the Miami Heat gave up on way too early

5. Daequan Cook, traded in 2010

Daequan Cook was a late first-round pick in the 2007 NBA Draft that was traded to the Miami Heat. In an attempt to surround Dwyane Wade with a different array of talent (transitioning away from the Shaquille O’Neal build), Cook was viewed as a player that could potentially blossom as an off-ball offensive threat. And that’s exactly what he was for the team during his first couple of seasons in Miami.

But after his first and second seasons, Cook’s minutes were slashed and it quickly became clear that his role with the team was diminishing. Also in anticipation of a busy summer of 2010, the Heat was pretty much gutting the roster. And Cook was part of that exodus. Cook was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder during the 2010 NBA Draft.

However, during his second season in Miami, Cook averaged nine points on 38 percent shooting from 3-point range. In my mind, I’m thinking how much the Heat could’ve used such a shooter next to LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. During the 2010-11 season in OKC, Cook shot a career-high 42 percent from 3. I can’t help but feel as if the Heat let him go a season or two too early.