NBA Free Agent Rumors: Caron Butler Would Give Miami Heat Much-Needed Depth

When the Miami Heat brought Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh together, the obvious downside was a lack of cap space for other players. A potential reunion with Caron Butler, who was hurt while his Dallas Mavericks teammates defeated Miami, would be a step toward fixing that problem.

Butler has been prone to injuries, but he's a dynamic player when healthy. As always, a deal will come down to how much cash the Heat have after the new CBA is sorted out (via Associated Press).

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Another interesting option for the Heat could be a reunion with forward Caron Butler, who was drafted 10th overall by the team in 2002, then traded to the Los Angeles Lakers two years later as part of the deal that brought Shaquille O'Neal to Miami. Butler said last month that he would not rule out a potential return.

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The veteran averaged 15 points per game for the eighth straight season despite tying a career-low in minutes. If he signed with Miami, the Heat would need him to play in more than 30 games to be worth committing limited resources to him (56 games over last two years).

That said, even if he played in just 50 games, he'd probably turn out to be a bargain. The Heat were forced to overextended James and Wade last season, which was a contributing factor to the finals loss.

Butler's arrival would allow both of those guys to get a few extra minutes on the bench each night. Over the course on an entire season, even a shortened one, that will pay off in the end.

Miami is also in search of another big man, which will probably take priority over Butler when free agency opens. Tyson Chandler will be out of the team's price range, but a poor man's version is exactly what the Heat need—a defensive wizard who can pick up scraps on the offensive end.

There will be a lot of player movement before Christmas assuming the new deal is agreed upon, which makes it an exciting time for all NBA fans.

If the Heat can emerge from the chaos with a new, reliable center and Butler, they'll have to fancy their chances at another championship run.