Build via Free Agency or Draft?

[walk with me]

Now we are officially tanking pretty much what are your thoughts on how we should reload? Through the draft or free agency? I've been keeping an eye on many of the threads here and I feel like the opinions are kind of split. I'm seeing a lot of talk for getting multiple draft picks in this draft which is reported to be really stacked but with that strategy you risk being out of the playoffs for years at a time. On the flip side, we could try to quick rebuild via FA but going that path we may miss out on great young talent. I want to see where everyone stands on this.

[Bishop45]

Get best players that fit team at available budget

[CanesHeatFins]

Build via trades should be an option too. I chose draft, thinking only of this upcoming loaded draft in mind. This is the type of draft you go all in on trying to trade for as many picks as u can. Other than that, we don't have enough picks for building through the draft to be an primary focus after this upcoming draft. The available free agency list is beyond depressing and it will only get worse with 6yr contacts coming into play.

[walk with me]

Build via trades should be an option too. I chose draft, thinking only of this upcoming loaded draft in mind. This is the type of draft you go all in on trying to trade for as many picks as u can. Other than that, we don't have enough picks for building through the draft to be an primary focus after this upcoming draft. The available free agency list is beyond depressing and it will only get worse with 6yr contacts coming into play.

yeah I'm going to see if I can edit the selections because I meant via trades & free agency instead of just FA.

[krikor]

Free agency is tough, because its all about relationships and having a star figure that can draw another star to come here.
A John Wall would think of playing with Anthony Davis, or Cousins then a Whiteside.
Lebron got here because of Wade. We dont have that Wade anymore.

I would go with balanced strategy, test free agency market..but if top dogs dont come here dont panic and throw money at garbage players.Go to draft.

[Prince Ali]

I think you have to use a balanced strategy but we're on the right path with some of our draft picks. I get the feeling a lot of posters here want instant gratification, and if they dont get it they want to have a fire sale of young assets. We've got 3 pretty good young players that we've acquired through the draft or undrafted FA process, I dont know that they will ever be stars. Maybe Golden State never viewed Harrison Barnes or Draymond Green as stars, but they became key cogs on a championship team. We're going to have a chance to add a REALLY good young player to the bunch this year, likely a star guy. We just need to stay the course and have a little patience.

[BadMofoPimp]

Build via Draft means tanking for many years praying to god that you get lucky to win star level players with very low odds of success all while alienating your fan base.

[Hoops23]

My answer is BOTH, free agency and the draft..

With the Heat going to the lottery and having a big amount of cap space in the off season, then use those tools to rebuilt the team quickly.

I've seen a lot of teams building through the draft and it takes them a long time to rebuilt. Remember, many lottery picks turn out to be bust, so you cant just built to the draft. Adding big name or quality free agent/s will rebuilt the team quickly. And these veterans will help to mentor the draft picks or young players.

As per trade, I will deal Hassan but for the right package only. At this point, I would love to keep him and be the magnet to acquire a free agent. As for Dragic, I like to trade him but if no deal by the deadline, I dont mind having him. As they say, PG is the position hard to fill. Miami is just one big name free agent away plus another free agent for the remaining cap space.

Maybe these samples of combinations of free agent forwards (not in order or combinations, samples only that will make Miami a playoff contender)
Millsap/Gay
Blake/Iguodala
Hayward/Taj Gibson
Ibaka/Gallinari

[Beenie]

Ideally both. Nabbing a franchise player who becomes a perennial allstar in the draft and coupling him with one or more established high production veterans is probably the fastest way to title contention. Drafting Wade and trading for free agent to be Shaq (in consecutive years) being the most successful example. It's one that's extremely unlikely of repeating but it none the less is a model of how the team (Riley) will likely approach the future.

Maybe Riley pursues CP3 (a scenario that actually fits his past tendencies), and with some luck perhaps the team strikes oil in the draft and brings aboard an instant difference maker. I think the optimum circumstance for the team is the find a young fresh face of the franchise in the draft and surround him with established vets that allows for the team to compete now while ensuring the long term future of the team.

[Flash4thewin]

Ideally both but with the new CBA the reality of the situation is it will be very difficult to poach elite players

[eddieheatfan]

balanced strategy.you cant put all your chips in just one place,fam

[contract]

If we build through free agency, that eliminates rebuilding through the draft because we'd win too many games to get a high pick ... unless we trade for other team's picks.

[dalton749]

This offseason should be about getting good draft picks, with a quick turnaround to something respectable next year since phx has the 18 pick.