Goran Dragic is now pondering his next move though most feel that his best bet is to stay with the Miami Heat. He is already 34-years-old and no team may take a chance on him in the free-agent market. And even if there was one, the Slovenian is unlikely to get a good deal and playing time for the 2020-21 NBA season.
Complicating matters is that Dragic has been plagued by injuries in the past years. His last one does not require surgery and only needs rest. But at this point in his career, there is no telling what other injuries the NBA All-Star could incur moving forward.
Though he barely played in the NBA Finals, there is no question that Dragic was a big loss for the Heat. He played splendidly with Jimmy Butler, providing the added boost ahead of the other young players in the mix. And the good news for Dragic is that the Heat are open to re-signing him next season, The Athletic reported.
This is a big turnaround considering Dragic was one of several players the Heat tried to deal away. He almost ended up with the Dallas Mavericks before the deal fizzled. But that appeared to be the wakeup call the Dragon needed, showing team president Pat Riley and head coach Erik Spoelstra his true value.
In the regular season, Dragic normed 16.2 points, 5.1 assists and 3.2 rebounds in 28.2 minutes of action. He upped those numbers a bit in the playoffs, averaging 19.2 points and 4.1 rebounds in 32.5 minutes of action per NBA.com. Dragic can still be of use if given the chance.
However, the fact that the Heat and other clubs are prepping for the new generation of players could suggest that Dragic may end up getting lower playing minutes. Despite a Herculean task on his end, NBA clubs are more concerned about preparing for the future. Tyler Herro, Kendrick Nunn and Duncan Robinson are the future faces of the franchise, meaning they are likely to get more minutes next season over Dragic.
Also, the Heat may re-sign Dragic but short-term. There is no telling how much Miami is willing to pay him but it is unlikely to be in the vicinity of his last deal. He is unlikely to get anything better from other teams, most spending huge amounts on younger players. Dragic is aware of these facts and will likely just be relieved knowing he can still play on in the NBA.
