Report: Christian Wood 'on the Heat's radar'

Could the 27-year-old big man find his way to the defending Eastern Conference Champions?

Will the long search for the “perfect four next to Bam” finally be solved?

In his latest report of offseason rumblings in the NBA, Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer, a reputable NBA reporter, noted that Christian Wood, who last played for the Dallas Mavericks, “continues to be mentioned by league personnel as someone on the Heat’s radar.”

The 27-year-old Wood is coming off a season where he averaged 16.6 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 1.8 APG, & 1.1 BPG in 26 minutes per game. He also shot 51.5% FG, 37.6% 3PT, and 77.2% FT in the 67 games he saw action.

The 6-foot-9 former UNLV standout, who had prior stops in Detroit and Houston, is an unrestricted free agent this offseason. While he might have shortcomings on the defensive side of the court and the occasional trepidation when it comes to his effort, there’s no denying his offensive repertoire would be a useful skillset for Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra to utilize.

Of course, there is the matter of how can the Heat sign Wood? Would he be available for a vet minimum deal? Given his numbers from last season and that he’s probably looking for a possible payday, that might be difficult.

But if Miami can create some cap space by trading guys currently on the roster, would attaining Wood be one of the complementary moves to eventually make up the rest of their line-up?

Other notable reports from Fischer about the defending Eastern Conference champions include the potential long-game of waiting for a Damian Lillard trade, how Max Strus is likely going to find a new home after commanding a bigger payday, how there’s mutual interest in a reunion between Gabe Vincent and the Heat, and how there’s a possibility that Kyle Lowry will be waived by the team.