AUGUST 7: The signing is official, according to a team press release.
“P.J. Tucker is the perfect addition to this team,” Heat president Pat Riley said. “He brings both shooting and most importantly, the ability to defend a lot of perimeter players. We love his versatility in order to put a defensive team on the court, where all five guys can defend, while also having enough shooting and scoring to win games.”
AUGUST 2: The Heat have agreed to a deal with free agent forward P.J. Tucker, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
According to Charania (Twitter link), Tucker will get a two-year, $15MM contract from Miami, which suggests the team is putting a chunk of its mid-level exception toward the signing. The deal will feature a player option in year two, Charania adds (via Twitter).
Tucker doesn’t bring much to the table on offense besides the occasional corner three (he’s a career 35.9% shooter from beyond the arc), but he’s a physical, versatile defender who is just as willing to battle in the post with centers as he is to guard quicker guards and wings on the perimeter.
Tucker will fit in nicely on a Heat squad that already features tough defenders like Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler, and Kyle Lowry.
The Heat had been looking to address their power forward position with their mid-level exception and will likely remain on the lookout for at least one more player who can play minutes at the four, though their cap flexibility is now limited. Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald reports (via Twitter) that the club has an offer out to veteran forward Markieff Morris.
Good pick up
Bucks tax saving
If Bucks pay the same. team luxury tax would be $42 million
I think I your calculations are a bit off.
…
Why do you write like every word costs you money?
I’ve always figured he doesn’t speak English very well….
Lame, was hoping he’d be back in the Brew City.
Probably means no Derozen
Did Bucks not want to spend mid level type money or did he want better weather? Because he was a big part of why the won a championship and this isn’t a big contract.
Would’ve been a $42 mil tax bill
My guess is it’s because when DiVicenzo returns his role will be significantly reduced.
Yeah he’ll play D on all those players. Bad move
Wow shocked he left Milwaukee
I was hoping he would return to the Bucks.
Udonis Haslem II
miami is gonn be crazy defensively
Heat need a stretch PF… Tucker is a great bench piece… I’m hoping Rudy Gay takes his talents to south beach asap
I think Iggy better than PJ. Why let Iggy go.
he had a 15 million dollar option. Wouldn’t mind him coming back for the minimum.. but I doubt he’d take it.. he’s not what he was even 3 years ago anymore.. he’s a major offensive liability.
Currently he is better than PJ tucker, although I would take both. I would have been ok with Iguodala at that price, or in a sign and trade more than Dragic being moved…but ya, it was going to be hard to keep him with the stuff they needed to do for the rest if the roster, and I also doubted him wanting to take less
iggy can’t guard bigs.
Bucks should of resigned him. Bad move. Heat also are saying they messed up letting Crowder walk. By signing Tucker. Good pickup. Every team needs a guy like Tucker. Every team
Yeah didn’t they give up a first to get him this past season. He was the basis for their defense in that Brooklyn Series, not a Bucks fan so I’m good with the regression, just surprised
Again…they offered Crowder more money. They dod mess up b/c not giving years made no sense, b/c he would always still be tradeable, but this narrative still has holes. He chose to sign elsewhere for less money, but more years
I like Tucker but he’s the type of player you want to rent, not buy.
Mixed feelings…he played tough with attitude but he is old and has only one offensive move, the corner 3 pt shot.
and ummmm….. defense?
Heat will be tough with Lowry Herro Butler Tucker and Bam.
Still don’t like the fact they have Robinson so much for so long, that seems like a lot of wasted money that but is what it is. Would’ve much rather seen that spent on getting more of a bench
Amazing how you advocated for paying Kevin Love, but have an issue with paying someone comparable to Klay Thompson
Man if this was a few years ago….always was a fan of PJ Tucker, even when he was little known by many 7 or 8 years ago. He has always been a Miami Heat player. Back then he literally was the perfect Miami Heat player, defending multiple positions, defending up, and being that corner 3 specialist…he was very good defensively in the playoffs, but he hasnt been the same these last at least couple of years. I feel like it’s a bit of an overpay for that reason, or would have hoped for someone else, someone similar, but depending what else they do, this could also end up being a big deal, and honestly, it does fill something that has been a need for a couple of years for the Heat, even though they’ve needed someone with more size at that spot.
Meanwhile, the Heat are doing a lot to get that 2016 Raptors team that barely got by the injured Beat that year lol
He never played for the Heat lol
He didnt have to. Enough people should know the definition of Miami Heat player by now. He has Heat DNA
Bucks had to make tough $ decisions bc of the big 3 plus Lopez. They are not LA or GSW with a blank lucky tax check. They will sign a defender to help. I like resigning Portis, now they need to add a shooter and defender for cheap.
It’s safe to say, no one saw this coming.
The way PJ chugged not a long time ago, you’d think he’ll retire as a BUCK.
PJ proclaims his affinity for dogs and he seems like one to just chill-out – something the HEAT and South Beach has in good supply.
Good pick-up …… HEAT got to get bigger though, Bam and Dedmon just not enough.
You want PJ for 7.5 mil a year???? All yours.