Victor Oladipo is trying to get back to the NBA and the Miami Heat are apparently the team most interested in giving him that shot. Considering how these two have danced before, this reunion actually makes some sense.
Oladipo, now 34, played for the Heat during the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons before injuries derailed him. He has been out of the league since, working on rehab and running skill sessions to prove he still has something left.
The Heat have always had a soft spot for Oladipo. Pat Riley loved his effort during his brief runs in Miami, and the culture-fit angle is real. Very few players are willing to grind through what Oladipo has grinded through.
Now the question is whether his body can handle NBA minutes. This is a guy who has torn his quad tendon and dealt with a laundry list of other issues. Even a healthy Oladipo is not the two-time All-Star he was in Indiana.
But Miami does not need him to be that. They need a backup guard who can defend, cut hard, and hit an open three. Even 15 games of a functional Oladipo would help this roster in a wide-open Eastern Conference.
The Heat have depth issues in the backcourt after another quiet offseason. Tyler Herro is the starter, but Miami needs a veteran presence behind him. Oladipo checks that box on paper.
The financial angle is also perfect. This would be a minimum contract with no risk. If Oladipo shows up in October and cannot go, Miami cuts him and moves on. If he plays well, they got a bargain.
There is also the emotional element. Oladipo has been through the wringer. If the Heat give him one more shot in a place he has previously called home, it feels like the right ending for a career that deserves one.
Expect this to move quickly if Oladipo passes physicals. Miami is not known for waiting around when they have identified a target.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.