Miami Heat could overpay Dion Waiters in NBA Free Agency 2017

Dion Waiters, who joined the Miami Heat (32-35) on a two-year contract last summer, has re-established himself as a starting quality shooting guard in the NBA this season. However, is Waiters worth the max contract that several interested suitors could offer him during NBA Free Agency 2017?

Waiters is expected to decline his US$3 million (AU$3.96 million) Player Option for the 2017-18 season, with hopes of landing his first major contract of his young career. After spending two-and-a-half seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the team that drafted him No. 4 overall in the 2012, Waiters struggled to make an impact for the Oklahoma City Thunder, who rescinded their qualifying offer to make him a free agent last July. Waiters received few offers in free agency before he decided to sign with the Heat on a bargain contract.

Miami Heat have a decision to make: Is Dion Waiters worth a max deal?

The Heat have approximately US$84 million (AU$111 million) in committed salaries for the 2017-18 NBA season. With the salary cap projected at nearly US$103 million (AU$136 million), Miami would be in a position to sign Waiters to an extension besides pursuing other free agent superstars. Waiters, for one, wishes to stay in South Beach. “Let's keep this thing rolling by any means. I don't want to go into free agency with a couple days and make a decision. I don't want that. I know where I want to be. Let's just get it done. My mom loves it here. Would be mad at me (if I left)…. my son loves it. My family loves it," Waiters told The Miami Herald.

Waiters, averaging 16.1 points, 4.4 assists and 3.4 rebounds per game, has been front and central of Miami's post All-Star winning streak which includes a 7-3 record over the last ten games. Since the start of 2017, the Heat have registered multiple victories over elite teams, including the Golden State Warriors (Jan. 23), Houston Rockets (Feb. 15) and most recently, back-to-back wins against the Cleveland Cavaliers (Mar. 4 and 6). After starting the season as one of the worst teams out East, the Heat are now just a game behind eighth seed Milwaukee Bucks and on pace to qualify for the playoffs.

Prior to the season, analysts expected the Heat to ride their way to the lottery where they can hope to discover the next franchise player, especially in the aftermath of Dwyane Wade's departure. However, it seems like the like sof Hassan Whiteside, Goran Dragic and Waiters are ready to carry the burden for this team, which can only get better with the addition of a potential superstar free agent during NBA Free Agency 2017.

During Miami Heat's winning stretch of 21 victories from 25 games, Waiters is averaging a little over 19 points per game while shooting 47 percent from the field. For the season, Dion Waiters is on pace to average career-highs in points, assists and 3-point shooting percentage. The Heat would be hard pressed to let the guard walk in free agency. But would they be willing to overpay him?