​The Miami Heat are reportedly one of three teams—alongside the Cleveland Cavaliers and Philadelphia 76ers—that LeBron James could consider signing with this offseason. If Miami cannot land James, the franchise is said to be eyeing a seasoned nine-time All-Star point guard as a contingency plan. Late Saturday night, Stefan Bondy, the senior New York Post reporter, indicated that the decision-making process isn’t limited to the organizations and NBA fans; a single high-profile free agent and future first-ballot Hall of Famer is watching closely as well.
“According to a league source, Russell Westbrook is a candidate to join the Heat but not if LeBron signs in Miami,” Bondy wrote. “Westbrook, 37, may no longer be MVP-caliber, but he still averaged 15.2 points over 64 games last season with the Kings.” He added that James is weighing his options in free agency, with Miami, Cleveland, and Philadelphia viewed as the front-runners. The two-time All-Star and 2008 MVP Westbrook and James shared a Lakers rotation for 1 ½ seasons, a period marked by a 33-win record and an 11th-place finish in the West during the 2021-22 season.
Westbrook remains one of the top accessible free-agent point guards on the market, and it makes sense for Miami, a franchise in clear need of ball-handling and shot creation, to consider the 18-year veteran. While Westbrook is no longer the perennial All-Star or MVP candidate he once was with the Thunder, he can still contribute meaningfully to a championship-contending team. Before joining the Kings, he averaged 13.3 points and 6.1 assists off the bench for a 50-win Nuggets squad. The previous season, he posted 11.1 points and 4.5 assists, helping the Clippers win 51 games.
Depending on James’s decision, Westbrook could potentially align with a Heat squad that has legitimate postseason aspirations. Miami’s projected starting lineup reportedly includes recently acquired two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, All-Star center Bam Adebayo, forward Andrew Wiggins, and guards Davion Mitchell and Tim Hardaway Jr. The rotation would also feature Bobby Portis, who was brought in as part of the Antetokounmpo deal, expected to serve as a high-level sixth man in the frontcourt. However, the team’s backcourt depth remains a notable area of concern.
Behind Mitchell sits four-year guard Dru Smith and 2026 second-round pick Ryan Conwell. Behind Hardaway are 2024 second-round pick Pelle Larsson and 2023 undrafted free agent Myron Gardner. Smith, Larsson, and Gardner had their moments last season, but the Heat could benefit from adding Westbrook as another reliable ball-handler and veteran voice in the locker room, both for on-court leadership and veteran presence in the locker room. Such a signing would align with the Heat’s ongoing strategy of bolstering guard play and veteran leadership as they pursue deeper playoff runs and a potential championship window.