Exit Interview: Ricky Davis

With an important offseason ahead of the Heat, Mike and I will be analyzing each player from the Heat's 2007-08 roster. Just like Pat Riley met with each player after the season ended, we will be doing our own "exit interviews" that you'll find posted here during the next couple of weeks.  Let's start with one of the biggest question marks for next season:

Ricky Davis, 6-7, F/G

2007-08 stats: 13.8 ppg, 4.3 reb, 3.4 assists in 36.1 minutes a game

Career averages: 14.3 ppg, 3.7 reb, 3.5 assists in 31.1 minutes a game

Status: Free agent

Looking back: Davis was the Heat's most durable player, after arriving days before the season started from Minnesota as part of the package in the Timberwolves' trade for Antoine Walker. Davis was the only Heat player to play in all 82 games, proving to be a reliable scorer whether he started or came off the bench. In his second go-around with the Heat, he showed his ability as a solid three-point shooter (40.5 percent) but seemed to miss clutch shots down the stretch that could have led to at least a few victories. His accuracy beyond the arc--25th in the league--was better than J.R. Smith, Chauncey Billups, NBA Sixth Man of the Year Manu Ginobili, Hedo Turkoglu and Ray Allen. Davis' defense is iffy at times and it seemed like coach Pat Riley constantly yelled at Davis to position himself better on that end of the court.

Looking ahead: The Heat has very limited cap space, so Davis is probably a good option to help fill out the rotation. On a healthy Heat team with a top draft pick, Davis is a bench player and perhaps worthy of being a sixth man. He has his weaknesses, but for a guy who has averaged double digits over a nine-year career, Davis should be on the team's wish list. One knock on Davis is that he has been on losing teams throughout his career. Sure, he isn't a one-man show that can singlehandedly carry a losing team,  but remember there is a difference between a guy being a role player on a losing team and being a loser. Davis played through injuries instead of finding a way to sit out during the Heat's miserable season. It's reflective of his personality and it would be hard to conceive the idea of Davis being a hindrance to a playoff team. He is not a bad-attitude guy.Davis, who has had a nomadic career, repeatedly said he would love to re-sign with the Heat. Davis turns 29 before next season. The Heat can exceed the salary cap to re-sign Davis. He said he'd be willing to take a short-term (two years?) or long-term deal for the right fit.

Best bet: Outside of trying to sign free agents Mickael Pietrus (whom the Heat had interest in last summer) or Bonzi Wells, the free-agent options for this position are slim given the Heat's lack of cap space. Davis is a very capable rotation player and letting him go could mean accepting a lesser player.

U-Decide: Re-sign him short-term? Long-term? Let him go? What would you do and why?