Since LeBron left, the Heat's touch goes cold in free agency

ByBRIAN WINDHORST
July 5, 2017, 9:05 PM

— -- The Miami Heat believe in building through free agency and player development, relying on south Florida's views, weather and tax structure plus a disciplined and deep-rooted organizational support system to drive them.

It has been wonderfully successful the past two decades with Pat Riley and his top lieutenant Andy Elisburg making moves, and Erik Spoelstra coaching up the players. But these past few years the free agent part has hit a roadblock and, combined with injuries, the Heat have suddenly found themselves in the unsavory middle.

Wednesday was great for Dion Waiters, a day he has been working toward his whole life, when he finally cashed in on a big contract. It's four years and about $52 million according to multiple reports, including ESPN. Congrats to him -- he earned it by showing out on a small one-year deal with the Heat last season after being abandoned by both the Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder the previous two years.

Actually, it's a pretty good deal for Miami. If Waiters continues to play at the level he did last season -- and several teams had interest in him so the Heat aren't alone in seeing it that way -- the $13 million per season tag might end up looking good.

Plus Waiters proved to be a nice backcourt mate with Goran Dragic because of his spot-up shooting success and his willingness to attack the basket, refreshing Dwyane Wade comparisons Waiters has been getting since he was at Syracuse. He was an engine in Miami's 30-11 record in the second half of last season that has the team believing it will return to the playoffs in 2018.

But honestly for the Heat, this isn't the greatest news. They're officially on a free agency losing streak. They lost out on LeBron James in 2014, Kevin Durant and Wade in 2016 and now Gordon Hayward in 2017. They'd hoped to pitch some other guys this summer, namely Russell Westbrook and Blake Griffin, but they never got the chance. And they need such a player to both take them to the next level as well as be a drawing card for the second star championship-level teams must have.

This summer's miss is particularly hurtful as the Heat look forward. Last year they signed Hassan Whiteside to a $100 million deal and they matched the odd offer sheet to Tyler Johnson. Between this season and next, Johnson's contract balloons by $13 million to a $19 million number. With Whiteside, Dragic and now Waiters, it's a lot of money for a team that isn't a contender, really.