NBA Free Agents 2014: Miami Heat Should Target These Stars if LeBron James Leaves

For right now, all is well in the kingdom of South Beach. And why wouldn't it be?

The reigning NBA world champion Miami Heat are looking strong as ever as they look to complete a three-peat campaign this spring during the NBA playoffs, with only a weakened Eastern Conference, a talented, but faltering Indiana Pacers squad, and whoever emerges from the West (Hello, Tim Duncan and San Antonio) standing in their way. All seems like gravy for the crew led by LeBron James, the best basketball player on the planet, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh as visions of confetti and gold-plated hardware dance in their heads.

Yeah, all is looking good...unless, of course, they lose.

And if they lose this time around in the playoffs, if they fail to capture a third straight world title, there might be reason for Heat fans to start legitimately asking the dreaded question that Cleveland was faced with four years ago: what if LeBron James leaves?

Before anyone scoffs at the notion of King James leaving basketball's Camelot that is South Beach, let's consider the facts. Dwyane Wade is getting older. And the famous knees that gave him the explosiveness to become a 10-time NBA All-Star are starting to fade on the uber-talented 32-year-old shooting guard. While Wade is still averaging superstar level numbers, he's also missed 32 games this season thanks to a litany of injuries. Heading into the furnace of the NBA playoffs, the news of Wade still shaking off a hamstring injury certainly has the Heat worried as they prepare to go after the title once again.

James hasn't given any real indication that he is thinking seriously about leaving South Beach, but he has also said that wherever he ends up, he wants to play on a team where he has the best chance of winning an NBA title. Apparently, the King is open to taking a look at all the options around the league this time around.  Which means that the Heat absolutely have to win an NBA title for James to consider sticking around for the duration with Miami , or else they run a very serious risk of losing the reigning league MVP for good this summer, much like Cleveland did in their heartbreaking summer of 2010.

In the event that the Heat end up losing James, they'll have to start looking to rebuild. Fortunately, the coming free agency periods in 2014 and 2015 have quite an attractive list of superstars that Miami can look to re-launch themselves around. Let's take a look at a few of them:

Carmelo Anthony
He's the biggest name on the free agency market not named LeBron James this summer. Granted, the Heat can't offer him a max contract, and the New York Knicks are looking a little more promising now that they have basketball guru Phil Jackson at the helm in the front office. But the Heat can offer Melo an opportunity to play with Bosh and Wade, assuming they convince them to stay on with Miami. With the high-scoring Anthony paired with these two All-Star players, The Big Three version 2.0 could easily be a favorite to be an NBA title contender, which is what Melo craves above all else these days.

Zach Randolph
Yeah, Zebo fancies himself to be a lifelong Memphis Grizzlies guy. But if the defensively-gifted, well-balanced power forward proves too rich for the Grizz's blood, Miami should give the 32-year-old bruiser a serious look. His presence in the lineup would give Miami a star that has proven to be dangerous on both ends of the floor, and his talents could allow Wade and Bosh one last chance at a serious championship run.

Rudy Gay
Granted, he might not be the flashiest name out there, but Gay is a legitimate scorer with a silky shooting touch, and he might be more affordable than some of the pricier options out there. With both Gay waiting in the wings to strike in lethal fashion from the perimeter, Wade still able to put down 20 points per game and Bosh holding down the middle, Miami would not only be a force to be reckoned with now, but be able to build for the future around the 27-year-old Gay for the next few years.

Kevin Love
They'd have to wait a little longer to get this one, but a year would certainly be worth the wait of the Heat can snag this budding 6'11" superstar power forward/center from Minnesota. Love is throwing down 25.9 points for the Timberwolves, and can give Miami a front court to be feared and respected if he teams with Bosh. Plus, at age 25, Love is easily the kind of star that the Heat can continue to evolve and construct around.

Kyrie Irving
He'll be completely free in 2016, but if there is one superstar to target, it's the skilled, savvy young Irving, who has given Cleveland their most sensational player since LeBron himself. If the Cavaliers can't build a real contender around Irving before his contract goes off the books, expect Irving to test the free agency waters - and expect many a team to throw their hooks into the ocean to land this big fish. If Wade sticks around and has at least one or two good seasons left in him by that point, Irving and Wade could comprise a very lethal backcourt, giving the Heat a major upgrade over Mario Chalmers that will continue to make them a force to be reckoned with.