Would Heat capitalize on new amnesty rule?

It’s no surprise that we’re in uncharted territory in the NBA. The salary cap will almost certainly drop — fans may not re-enter NBA arenas until 2021. And with that, ESPN’s Bobby Marks has mentioned the league’s resurrection of the amnesty clause.

After the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association ended the 2011 lockout, the new collective bargaining agreement allowed each team to release one player who signed a contract before the lockout. Miami, of course, amnestied Mike Miller in 2013. And Marks says that some league executives want the one-time amnesty clause restored.

Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald said that if the NBA instituted the amnesty clause, Blake Griffin, John Wall and Kevin Love would be prime candidates to become free agents under the amnesty clause. And he said that the Heat “could look strongly at adding any of them.”

Wall last played an NBA game on Dec. 26, 2018, and it remains uncertain whether he can return to his All-Star level. Besides, where would Wall fit on a Heat team that intends to re-sign Goran Dragic and plans to include Kendrick Nunn and Tyler Herro in its future?

Love and Griffin, on the other hand, make more sense as floor-spacers next to Bam Adebayo. If either of them becomes available, the Heat could opt to let Meyers Leonard sign with another team in free agency. Griffin has extended his range to the 3-point line — he shot 36.2 percent from downtown on seven attempts per game in 2018-19. And Love has shot 37 percent from 3 on seven attempts this season.