Ex-Heat star eyeing return to team?
Nov 30, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra reacts during a break as they take on the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
One former Miami Heat star may be getting some FOMO from the team’s NBA Finals run this year.
Appearing this week on AM 560 Sports WQAM’s “Tobin and Leroy,” ex-Heat guard Goran Dragic said he would like to finish his career in Miami.
“I live here,” Dragic said of Miami. “My kids are here. So definitely, if I’m looking to finish my career, it would be a no-brainer to finish in Miami. This is my home. I spent an unbelievable seven years here.
“I love all the players, all people in the front office,” Dragic went on. “Coach O [Heat assistant Octavio De La Grana], Coach Spo [Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra], Coach Quinny [Heat assistant Chris Quinn]. I mean, those guys give me everything. This is the city that I see myself in the future, so hell yeah, why not?”
Dragic, 37, played for the Heat from 2015-21. He was a beloved fan favorite who carried the load offensively when he had to, sacrificed shot attempts when he had more talented teammates, mentored Miami’s young players when the team was in a transitional phase, and willingly accepted a bench role when he aged out of starter caliber. Dragic made an All-Star team with the Heat in 2018 and also played a critical role during their 2020 Finals run (before an unfortunate foot injury in the Finals opener against the Lakers derailed things).
Since leaving Miami, Dragic has had difficulty finding a new home, playing on four different teams (Toronto, Brooklyn, Chicago, and Milwaukee) over the last two seasons and averaging a combined 6.6 points per game. Even if Dragic does not have much left to offer these days, a reunion with the Heat would be a great storyline, especially with how elite the vibes were the first time around.
