The Miami Heat is the frontrunner to sign free agent Luol Deng, according to sources close to ESPN.
Miami Heat officials reportedly spent much of Saturday deep in talks with the free agent swingman who played with the Cleveland Cavaliers last season.
With LeBron James off to Cleveland, the Heat have enough cap space to sign Deng. It has been rumored that Deng would not want to settle for anything lower than $10 million a year just to play for a team like the Heat. He had previously rejected a three year, $30 million extension offer from the Chicago Bulls, leading to his trade in the middle of the past season.
Deng could replace James in the Heat frontline. While he is nowhere near the skill level of the four-time MVP, Deng is a capable scorer who can give opposing teams problems on the offensive end. He is also a skilled defender who can guard the best perimeter players. Deng is also a respected veteran known for his professionalism and solid locker room presence.
The Heat are also close to signing franchise star Dwyane Wade to a new contract and finalizing a maximum contract for All-Star big man Chris Bosh.
Other teams that are interested in Deng are the Dallas Mavericks and Atlanta Hawks. However, with the Mavericks signing Houston Rockets restricted free agent Chandler Parsons to an offer sheet, their chances of landing Deng may have become smaller. There are also rumors that the Phoenix Suns are also interested in Deng.
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