Miami Heat sign veteran scoring guard in attempt to juice the offense

The Miami Heat are adding to their backcourt by signing veteran guard Alec Burks, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Burks, 32, agreed on Wednesday to join the Heat on a one-year deal at the veteran minimum. He played last season for the New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons and averaged 10.4 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists.

Burks will join a backcourt that currently includes Terry Rozier, Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, Josh Richardson and rookie Pelle Larsson, as well as two-way players Dru Smith and Zyon Pullin. 

This is the first outside free agent the Heat have signed to a standard roster spot this summer, bringing the roster to 14 after Miami re-signed Thomas Bryant on Wednesday. The Heat can clear another roster spot if they waive center Orlando Robinson before July 15.

Over his 13 NBA seasons, Burks has earned a reputation as a pure scorer. With career shooting percentages of 41.5% overall and 38.3% from 3-point range, most of his success has come as a spark-plug scorer off the bench.

Burks is a skilled ball-handler who can play both guard positions and will give the Heat an option to run some offense off the bench. 

With Josh Richardson still recovering from shoulder surgery and Smith recovering from a serious knee injury, the Heat could rely on Burks to play important minutes early in the season.