Should Miami Heat make an effort to retain Duncan Robinson in the 2021 NBA offseason?
26-year old Duncan Robinson and the Miami Heat were swept by the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the NBA playoffs. This was Robinson’s third season in the NBA. He went undrafted in the 2018 NBA draft and signed a summer league contract with the Miami Heat. Duncan Robinson was initially on a two-way contract with the Heat and NBA G-League’s Sioux Falls Skyforce, and signed a three-year deal at the end of the 2018-19 season.
Duncan Robinson will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the current season and is expected to be in for a huge pay rise in the coming season. Over the two previous seasons, Robinson has shot at over 42% from the three-point zone and has become an important role player for the Miami Heat.
In such a scenario, we look at whether or not the Miami Heat should retain Robinson. The franchise needs to consider the potential improvement in contracts that he is bound to be offered by other teams.
Should Miami Heat retain Duncan Robinson in the 2021 NBA offseason?
Duncan Robinson is expected to attract a wide range of interest from other playoff contenders. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Miami Heat might be asked to match an offer as high as $20 million per year. Robinson has in the past two seasons established himself as a dangerous three-point shooter. He showed flashes of brilliance in the first playroundund, and was especially lethal in game 1.
Robinson finished with 24 points, and shot at over 53% from the three-point zone. He has proven himself to be a dogged shooter who is capable of catching fire in big games. Robinson has not missed a single regular-season match for the Miami Heat in the past two seasons. He had his best shooting year from the three-point zone last year, and has increased his volume of shooting this season. Robinson averaged almost 44% with 10 three-point attempts per game.
The Miami Heat had an anti-climactic end to their season. Robinson might be tempted to leave despite the fact that he is only going to be a restricted free agent. He recently revealed during a press conference that the first thing that he will be looking for will be a “good fit.”
“First and foremost, a fit, a place I can really feel comfortable. Winning is a priority for me. And also a business and there’s an opportunity to take care of people that I love.”
This does not mean that Robinson is looking for change, as he later claimed that he loves the Miami Heat organization for a number of reasons. Regardless, Duncan Robinson looks set to take the next step in his career and might be looking for a better team role on a new roster. He has already proven his worth to the Miami Heat. The only snag that might stop them from trying to retain Robinson is the fact that they might not be able to afford his contract.
The Miami Heat are expected to be in the market for another superstar, with the likes of Kyle Lowry and the LA Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard two names that have come up repeatedly. In such a scenario, while they should be looking to retain Duncan Robinson, the financial aspects might simply make it impossible.