Miami Heat: 3 reasons why acquiring Victor Oladipo was the perfect move

Miami Heat Jimmy Butler and Victor Oladipo (Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports)
Miami Heat Jimmy Butler and Victor Oladipo (Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports)
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NBA Houston Rockets Victor Oladipo (Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports)

The Miami Heat gets an early look at the 2021 free agency

Once it became clear that Giannis Antetokounmpo and Paul George weren’t going to test free agency in 2021, the top of that free agency class grew somewhat unappealing – with the only real top-tier free agency possibly being Kawhi Leonard. In that next tier, the one player that had been long-linked to the Heat was Victor Oladipo.

By acquiring him at the trade deadline, the Heat will get an early look at Oladipo and his health. If there’s one big question about him, it’s whether or not he can remain healthy enough to reach his former All-Star form again. Since his return from a quad injury, the returns have been mixed.

Miami and its training staff (and coaching staff) will be able to get an early look at Victor Oladipo and they’ll be able to examine him up close – something they probably wouldn’t have the luxury of in a traditional free-agent process.