Miami Heat: 9 free agents with ties to Jimmy Butler

Free Agent No. 8: Meyers Leonard, Center

This next option is one of a few “boomerang” free agent options, players who would not only be reuniting with Jimmy Butler but returning to the Miami Heat where they played together. Meyers Leonard had his best season as a pro with Butler and the Heat in 2019-20, starting 49 games and shooting 41.4 percent from deep.

Leonard has walked a complicated path back to the NBA, but he saw time with the Milwaukee Bucks near the end of last season and is worth a shot as a Kevin Love replacement for the Heat. Leonard has size, his shot is still sharp and he would fill a valuable role, even if it’s a small one.

Free Agent No. 7: Mike Muscala, Center

In the same vein as Leonard, Mike Muscala is an option for the Heat to fill that stretch-big role. Muscala and Butler were teammates on the 2018-19 Philadelphia 76ers, when Butler joined the team mid-season and nearly led them to the Eastern Conference Finals, while Muscala played a small role as a stretch-big before Mike Scott replaced him in the pecking order.

Muscala has only refined his craft as a shooter, excelling in the pick-and-pop game for the Oklahoma City Thunder over the past few seasons before joining the Boston Celtics last season. His contract for next season was picked up as he was included in the recent Kristaps Porzingis deal, but there’s a very real chance he is waived as the Wizards prioritize youth next season. That could lead him to sign with another contender like the Heat.