Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Miami Heat backup center Willie Reed may have played himself into a monster contract this summer. We break down five cheap candidates to replace him.
Willie Reed of the Miami Heat is far from a household name. But being a known commodity to the casual NBA fan is not a prerequisite for receiving a huge contract in today's market. Just look at the list of last summer's deals for proof.
And as such, even a guy like Reed, who put up modest numbers as Hassan Whiteside's backup for one season with the Heat, may be due for a payday.
He's under contract through next year, but would be foolish to exercise his player option, instead heading to free agency. It would only be a matter of time before much larger offers began to roll through.
During his time in Miami, Reed averaged 5.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 0.7 blocks. He shot 56.8 percent from the floor and 55.7 percent from the foul stripe, while playing 14.5 minutes per game. All around, numbers that don't really stand out much.
However, they are very similar to those of Cole Aldrich, a fellow reserve center from the free agent class of 2016.
Throughout his final season with the Los Angeles Clippers, Aldrich played 13.3 minutes nightly, scoring 5.5 points and securing 4.8 rebounds per contest, almost identical to Reed's this season.
So what kind of deal did those margins garner him?
One worth three years and $22 million from the Minnesota Timberwolves. Expect Reed to get the same, if not more.
Though he may not be a star, he's certainly a fine player. And in 2017, fine players get huge contracts. The odds are very much against the Heat retaining his services this offseason.
So to get ourselves prepared for the inevitability, let's look at five impending free agent centers who could fill the void left behind by Reed.
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5. Keith Benson, Sioux Falls Skyforce
If Willie Reed is considered a little-known commodity, Keith Benson's name may as well be John Doe.
Nonetheless, he's a player with some talent, currently on the same trajectory as the guy he would theoretically replace. (Reed also toiled away in the D-League before finally breaking through in 2015-16.)
Benson put up huge numbers in his third year with the Sioux Falls Sky Force. He scored 20.5 points per game, to go with 10.4 rebounds and 2.2 blocks, while shooting 60.2 percent from the floor. His season-high of 33 points came on Dec. 30 against the Salt Lake City Stars.
The NBA's official minor league website had Benson listed as their ninth-best prospect in their final 2016-17 rankings. Chris Reichert of The Step Back had him fifth in his own pecking order. According to Reichert:
Benson leads the league in double doubles at 26, is one of two players (along with Shawn Long) averaging 20/10 and is second in league in blocks at 2.5 per game. He has extended his range to 18-feet with consistency (35-of-69 for 50.7 percent) and at 6-foot-11 could be a solid big off the bench in the league.
Think of Benson as a more skilled, slightly less athletic version of Reed. He can come in, play 15 minutes, block some shots and score a bit. Not to mention, he would come much cheaper than any of the other guys on our list.
Value-wise, you could do far worse than Benson. Look for him to be given the opportunity to earn a roster spot during training camp and preseason.
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4. Roy Hibbert, Denver Nuggets
I know, I know.
"Why him?! He's terrible now! I hate him! He used to kill the Heat!" (What you're thinking is probably even more vulgar than that, if we're being honest.)
But signing Roy Hibbert would have some benefits.
For one, he would be cheap.
Hibbert had a one-year deal this season, worth $5 million. Considering he saw action in just six of the final 33 games of 2016-17, his next contract will be even smaller than that.
Furthermore, he may no longer be anywhere near the behemoth, verticality-abusing monster he was with the Indiana Pacers in his heyday, but he's still got a bit left in the tank.
As a member of the Charlotte Hornets (before a mid-season trades saw him get shipped first to the Milwaukee Bucks and then, without appearing in a game as a Buck, to the Denver Nuggets), Hibbert participated in 42 games, and averaged 16.0 minutes, 5.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.0 block.
His best performance came on Oct. 26 against the Bucks. He scored 15 points, brought down 10 boards and blocked five shots while going 6-of-9 from the floor.
Hibbert wouldn't be a game-changer, but he could easily fill the role Reed had backing up Whiteside. At the very least, he'd block some shots and dunk the basketball.
Plus, wouldn't it be kind of fun to see him in a Heat jersey? Stop lying! You know it would.
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3. Jeff Withey, Utah Jazz
Jeff Withey of the Utah Jazz only saw action in 51 games this season. DNP-CDs are abundant in his 2016-17 game log. And he has played fewer than 18 minutes in the playoffs, even despite Rudy Gobert missing the first three games of the postseason.
The Jazz desperately lacked size without their star center, and Withey still couldn't get off the bench. So how could he possibly help the Heat?
Well, it's simple. His superb ability as a shot-blocker gives him a chance to have a contributing role on a good team.
Though Withey only averaged 0.6 blocks per game during his fourth year as a pro, that number skyrockets to 2.7 if observed under the per-36-minute lens.
In addition, his 6.0 block percentage is the 15th-highest mark in the NBA.
Imagine the Heat's rotation with Withey included: Whiteside — an outstanding shot blocker in his own right — goes to the bench, and supplanting him is a 7-footer with equal prowess swatting opponents' attempts away.
48 minutes of true rim protection would make Miami's elite defense even stingier.
(Note: Withey was recently accused of domestic violence by his ex-fiancee, but vehemently denied the allegations. If there's an ounce of truth to the claims, he'll deservedly be out of the NBA next year. The Heat's interest in him is subject to change as more details come to light.)
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2. Mike Muscala, Atlanta Hawks
What was supposed to be a breakout season for Mike Muscala never came to fruition. Although he did enjoy a career-year in games played and points scored nightly, the fourth-year stretch-5 didn't come close to the lofty expectations many had for him.
Perhaps Miami can capitalize from his inability to blossom with the Atlanta Hawks.
Had Muscala become the three-point shooting, shot-blocking big man he was envisioned to be, there's no way he would have been a cheap option this summer.
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But thanks to his low production and complete no-show in the playoffs (through four games, averaging 3.3 points and shooting 3-for-16), the Heat could sign him at a steep discount.
He's still a guy with a lot of potential, doesn't turn 26 until the summer and has proven that, if anything, he can knock down threes from the center position.
In 2016-17, Muscala converted on 41.8 percent of his 1.6 three-point attempts nightly. The former Bucknell University star would space the floor with Miami's second unit, and provide the perfect outlet option for Goran Dragic and Dion Waiters.
He could even spend some time at power forward next to Whiteside, playing the same role Luke Babbitt did.
The Heat's offense exploded once they embraced the kick-and-drive scheme built by head coach Erik Spoelstra. And Muscala would be the perfect cog in the bombard-opponents-from-three machine Miami has become.
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1. Nene – Houston Rockets
We close our list with the unlikeliest (but most fun) option: Nene.
The 14-year veteran has shown signs of slowing down over recent years, but is still capable of doing a lot of damage in brief stints.
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On the season, Nene averaged 9.1 points and 4.2 rebounds on 61.7 percent shooting, in fewer than 18 minutes played. When stretched to Per-36, that amounts to 18.3 points and 8.4 rebounds per contest.
He may not be much of a shot-blocker anymore, but the Brazilian big man can help Miami's second unit with his ability to efficiently get buckets.
Game 4 of the opening round of the Western Conference Playoffs perfectly encapsulates that point. Nene was machine-like with his scoring, finishing with 28 points on an absurd 12-for-12 shooting night.
Thanks to his advanced age (he's 34) and complete lack of upside, he more than likely won't get many offers worth more than the one he's currently on — a one-year/$2.9 million deal.
Additionally, during his end-of-year presser, Pat Riley mentioned the possibility of acquiring a player using a room-level exception. A guy with Nene's credentials would be the perfect candidate to fill the spot, and help buoy Spoelstra's bench.
Don't get me wrong, losing Reed is going to hurt. We watched him get his shot with Miami's 2015 Summer League team and turn that opportunity into a contract offer from the Brooklyn Nets, before returning to South Florida and becoming a legitimate NBA player.
But such is life in professional sports sometimes. Thankfully, Riley and the Heat will have plenty of solid options (at bargain prices) to choose from this summer.
