The countdown to the start of NBA Training Camp has begun, and there's still a chance the Miami Heat could pursue a former All-Star to add to their roster. With the chance that they could still part ways with Terry Rozier before reporting to camp, according to a recent report, you can't help but wonder if that could push them toward giving Russell Westbrook another look.
Westbrook is still a free agent and theoretically fills a role that the Heat may need at the point guard position. He'd be a relatively cheap option, and the Heat have been linked to Russ before. If Miami does end up cutting Rozier loose, Russ can't be completely considered off the table for the Heat.
While the signing of Russ would bring in a name that the fan base can resonate with, it'd certainly be a calculated risk for the Heat.
Heat's interest in Westbrook could be a mistake
On paper, Russ is still relatively productive at this late stage of his career. In 75 games played last season with the Denver Nuggets, Russ averaged 13 points, six assists, and five rebounds per game on 45 percent shooting from the field. Not bad.
If the Heat is looking for a productive backup guard off the bench, Russ wouldn't be a terrible option.
The biggest issue that the Heat could run into by signing Russ revolves around the idea that he would be taking minutes away from other young guards on the Heat. While, in theory, Russ may be a better option from a pure production standpoint, the Heat should be prioritizing development this season.
Maybe that's why the Heat ultimately decide against a move for Russ.
Other free agents on the Heat's radar
Aside from Russ, there's reason to believe that there could be a couple of other free agents on Miami's radar. They reportedly worked out Kai Jones a few weeks ago, and he remains unsigned. The Heat were also tied to Precious Achiuwa, who is another big man who could help beef up the team's frontcourt.
The expectation is that the Heat will eventually sign a veteran, more than likely one to help out Bam Adebayo and Kel'el Ware in the frontcourt, but the overwhelming expectation was that it would come later on in the season.
That could change if the Heat does elect to move on from Rozier before the start of training camp or the regular season. If that does happen, there are a few veteran names who could get the call-up from the Heat. Russ, for better or worse, could be on the shortlist of players in the mix.