Report: Grizzlies Have Interest In Signing Mike Miller

Jun 18, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat shooting guard Mike Miller (left) and San Antonio Spurs power forward Tim Duncan (center) and Miami Heat small forward LeBron James (right) go after a loose ball during the third quarter of game six in the 2013 NBA Finals at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Per ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the Memphis Grizzlies are “among teams with interest” in signing free agent guard Mike Miller.

Mike Miller was waived by the Miami Heat on Tuesday via the one-time amnesty clause. He went through waivers unclaimed, and now is an unrestricted free agent free to sign with any team.

Miller won his second championship with the Heat last season. He played in just 59 games during the regular season, averaging career-lows of 4.8 points in 15.3 minutes per game. However, he still chipped in 1.2 threes per game on a strong 41.7% clip from beyond the arc, fulfilling his role as one of the Heat’s many three-point specialists.

The most memorable stretch for Miller this season might have been the NBA Finals. He stepped up to the plate when the Heat needed him most, drilling 1.6 threes per game on an outrageous percentage of 61.1%.

While Miller has struggled with recurring injuries heavily over the past few years, he still has something left in the tank. He could reprise his role as a three-point specialist for any team that chooses to sign him. For many teams out there, he could see a much more important role than that which he had for a Miami Heat team that had better players, such as Ray Allen and Shane Battier, to go to.

The Memphis Grizzlies have a well-documented need for three-point shooting, and a reliable specialist like Miller would be a great get for them. Miller’s increasing frailty could be an odd fit for a team that prides itself on “grit and grind”, but they’ll welcome his shooting nonetheless.

Of note is that Miller has played with the Grizzlies before. He was traded to Memphis halfway through his third NBA season, and stayed there for five full seasons after that. The 2006-07 season he played for the Grizzlies might’ve been his best pro season in terms of production, as he averaged a career high 18.5 points in that season while playing 39.1 minutes per game. Miller also made a whopping 2.9 threes per game that year.

If Miller decides to return to Memphis, they’ll welcome him with open arms. Many of the other playoff teams in the Western Conference have reloaded during the offseason, and Miller joining the Grizzlies would help them keep up in the arms race.

Of the other teams listed as potential suitors for Miller, early reports seem to indicate that Oklahoma City is the early favorite to sign him. That would be a logical fit, as the Thunder are one of the league’s top contenders and they could use Miller to help replace Kevin Martin after the latter’s departure to the Timberwolves. That said, however, it’s still very early in the process and Miller could choose to sign with a different team.

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