NBA Rumors: Could a polarizing Miami Heat star be hinting at a potential reunion with the team?
The Miami Heat‘s offseason is still very much at a standstill. They have not filled out their roster and it would be foolish of them to do so until they wait out the Damian Lillard situation. As the Heat and Portland Trail Blazers find themselves at an impasse on potential trade negotiations, the Lillard to Miami hype has certainly died down.
The hope, at least for Miami and Lillard’s camp, is that it’s something that eventually comes to fruition but at least for now, that’s not a guarantee.
If the Heat does end up figuring out how they acquire Lillard from the Blazers, it’s likely going to come at the expense of some of the team’s depth. That’s why when they managed to sign Josh Richardson, a former draft pick of the team, it was viewed as a huge win for the Heat.
A potential reunion for Rook 1 too in Miami?
But the addition of Richardson isn’t the only potential reunion that could happen this offseason for Miami. In a social media post, former Heat first-round pick Justise Winslow, a current free agent, gave the impression that perhaps the combination of “Rook 1” and “Rook 2” could make a return.
rook 1 otw⁉️ pic.twitter.com/OOPyXBiooB
— michael doleac (@3MWD__) July 27, 2023
On Instagram, Winslow shared a picture with him alongside Richardson and added an interesting emoji – perhaps to indicate that a potential reunion could be in the future. Maybe I’m putting 1 and 1 together to get 3, but it does make at least some sense when we really think about it.
If the Heat acquires Lillard, they’re going to need to fill out their roster after the deal. If it were to happen, you can imagine that Miamis is probably going to send 3-4 players out and get one or maybe two players back.
It will open the door for Miami to make another addition or two before the start of the season. Winslow, on a minimum deal, could make sense. At this point in his career, Winslow could still be viewed as a valuable defender and underrated secondary playmaker.
Winslow was at his best during his time in Miami and even though injury and an eventual trade cut his time with the Heat short, a return to the Heat could possibly rejuvenate his career. As hard as it may be to believe, Winslow is just 27 years old and could represent a possible bench option for Miami.
Again, a lot of this could depend on the Lillard situation. But there’s at least an outside chance that Winslow returns to the Heat.