How many times have you received a package from Shopee or Lazada and had no recollection of what you bought and when and why you bought it? Add to Cart is a series on some of the low-key moves and underrated deals that NBA teams made during this offseason that fans might have overlooked or forgotten. The Lakers' signing of Kendrick Nunn was featured in the first installment and LaMarcus Aldridge's return to the Nets in the second.
The Deal
The Miami Heat boosted their frontline by signing P.J. Tucker to a two-year, $15 million contract and Markieff Morris to a one-year, $2.6 million deal.
The Steal
The Heat's acquisition of Kyle Lowry was one of the big headlines in the 2021 offseason. Lowry was the apple of the eye of most teams especially during last year’s trade deadline as he brings leadership, championship experience, defense, and playmaking.
Lowry will undeniably make the Heat better but the addition of Tucker and Morris was a low-key move that could prove to be a difference-maker later on.
There was a reason that the Milwaukee Bucks decided to get Tucker in the middle of last season. A championship later, it turned out to be a brilliant player shuffle by the Bucks’ front office. He only averaged 4.3 points and 4.8 rebounds while barely attempting to shoot. Nonetheless, Tucker brought the hustle and the defense that helped the Bucks big time. Can he bring his magic to Miami and take the Heat back to the promised land?
Morris, meanwhile, played critical minutes in the 2020 LA Lakers' title run. With the constant injuries to Anthony Davis and LeBron James last year, Morris was probably put into situations he wasn't used to. He can still become a key contributor on a title-contending with his staple outside shooting and never-back-down defense.
The Heat has had a busy offseason with the re-signing of Jimmy Butler and his four-year, $184 million contract extension placed at the forefront. With Lowry's trade and the re-signing of 3-point specialist Duncan Robinson, the acquisitions of Tucker and Morris were slightly under-the-radar yet equally crucial.
The Value
The 3-and-D role player and a stocky build forward have become rare commodities in today's NBA. A wing or a forward must now have a reliable 3-point shot while playing good enough defense. It's the nature of the game given all the spacing and shooting. An even bigger plus is a guy who has all those mentioned qualities but also has the size and length to fill in multiple positions.
Tucker, though he's already getting up in age at 36, remains one of the best defenders who can stay on an opposing team’s guard, four-man or center. Morris is not on the same level as Tucker is on the defensive end, but he still has a lot of size and offers more options on offense. If we’re talking about extremes, the two aren’t flat-out shooters like Robinson nor are they physically intimidating like Giannis Antetokounmpo but they both thrive on being in the middle. They’re good enough to be outside gunners and reliable defenders who you can trust in small-ball type of lineups.
When the Heat went to the Finals in the 2020 season, they relied heavily on the role filled by Jae Crowder. In other words, a role player who can shoot while being a do-it-all defender. The following year, they tried to fill in that gap with old heads Andre Igoudala and Trevor Ariza and youngster Precious Achiuwa.
With Tucker and Morris, the Heat are poised to be a solid contender in the East. A trip back to the Finals isn't a far fetched idea.
