Goran Dragic Denies Report He Is Unhappy Playing for Heat

Miami Heat point guard Goran Dragic addressed previous comments he made about his level of happiness with the team heading into the 2016-17 season. 

Prior to the Heat's preseason game against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday, per Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel, Dragic said his comments were miscommunicated:

"

He asked me that question: Didn't I sign to be part of a great team, championship team? I said, "Yeah, of course." Then I said sometimes your career, this is business, you cannot have every decision go the way you want it on your own. This is a team decision. Sometimes you need to do two steps back to go one step forward. I'm happy to be here. This is the team that I want to be here. But I understand this is business.

"

Dragic is referring to an interview conducted by David Aldridge of NBA.com in which Dragic said "you’re right" when asked about not wanting to re-sign with a team last summer that he thought would have Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh for the foreseeable future. 

In that same interview with Aldridge, Dragic did not try to bury the teammates he still has in Miami:

"

You know, I look at it this way. I did not have control over that. I cannot have it. So the only thing I can control is on myself, to be prepared for this season. Of course, the offseason went the way it went. But I’m happy with my teammates. I think we had a great training camp. Some changes, but we’re a young team that wants to prove to the league that we can play basketball.

"

Per Winderman, Dragic said on Friday that he doesn't "have any comments about not wanting to be here. That is nonsense." 

It's been an interesting two-year stretch for the Heat. They weren't prepared for LeBron James' departure two years ago, though they were able to retain Wade and Bosh to at least remain competitive in the Eastern Conference. 

Unfortunately, Bosh was shut down in February 2015 after blood clots developed on one of his lungs. That came one day after Dragic was acquired in a trade from the Phoenix Suns. 

Bosh did return for 53 games last season before being shut down again in February because of a potential clotting issue in his leg. 

Heat president Pat Riley said in September that Bosh's career with the Heat was "probably over" after the 11-time All-Star failed his physical, per Sekou Smith of NBA.com. 

Wade left to join the Chicago Bulls as a free agent over the summer, leaving Dragic as the lone remaining member of this current iteration of Miami's Big Three. 

It's certainly not the ideal situation for Dragic, who is 30 years old and has made just two playoff appearances in his NBA career, but the Heat are now his team and will rise or fall based on his ability to carry them.

There's still help for Dragic with players such as Hassan Whiteside and Justise Winslow, but he will be the one running the ship on the court.