The Miami Heat should consider signing Mehmet Okur.
Okur is a 6’11” veteran center who averages 13.5 points per game and seven rebounds per game, and shoots 37.5 percent from the three point line for his career. Okur is a big man that can add more versatility to the Heat as a nearly seven footer who can shoot the three. Okur has played in an All-Star game and was a role player on the Detroit Pistons team during their 2004 NBA championship run starting his career there and being with the Pistons from the 2002-2003 season to the 2004-2005 season.
Okur spent his last two seasons with the Utah Jazz and the New Jersey Nets as his productivity suffered due to injury. He missed 118 out of 148 total games over both seasons.
Bringing Okur in would be similar to when they signed Žydrūnas Ilgauskas in the summer of 2010, as his role would be identical to Ilgauskas’s on that team. He could play major minutes throughout the regular season at center or power forward and be used less the deeper the Heat go in the playoffs.
Okur adds to the versatility of the Heat’s offense. He would create a match up problem for teams with conventional big men and could create more spacing for the Heat’s slashers. Even with a simple role as a backup big man, he can help this team and take pressure off of the Big Three. He would be one of the best pure shooters at his position joining a team full of shooters on the perimeter.
If he is willing to go to South Beach he would be a great pick up.
