It is going to be an interesting summer for every Miami Heat fan. After narrowly missing the playoffs this past season, the Heat are looking to improve their roster during the summer of 2017 as they hope to once again become a powerhouse team in the Eastern Conference. It was announced earlier this season that Chris Bosh's career is pretty much done as he suffers from a serious, career-ending illness, and this closes the book on the "Big Three" era in Miami. LeBron James is back in Cleveland, Wade is with the Bulls now and Chris Bosh's playing days are over.

But all is not lost for the Miami Heat as they now have enough pieces to compete, and maybe even pursue another championship in the near future. Hassan Whiteside, Goran Dragic, and Justise Winslow are good enough to build around, and all they need now is one more star player that could put them "over the hump." Could it be that Gordon Hayward is this potential star player the Heat are looking for?

Miami on the move

Hayward has one more year remaining on his contract with the Utah Jazz but has the player option for the 2017/2018 season. It was reported that Hayward will opt out of his last year of the contract and become a free agent on July 1st. Reportedly, Hayward will seek a max contract and a winning culture in his potential new team.

He is fresh off his best season, as he averaged a career-high 21.9 points per game during the 2016/2017 season with the Jazz.

ESPN reported that the Miami Heat has joined the Boston Celtics as the frontrunners to sign Hayward this summer. The Heat will have around $40 million in cap space this summer, and considering that Hayward will seek a four-year contract worth around $130 million, this would probably be the end for Dion Waiters and James Johnson in Heat uniform.

The Heat appear to be the favorites to sign Hayward, and it would be hard for him to say "No" to an organization led by Pat Riley. Also, being coached by Eric Spoelstra who was recently named the NBCA Coach of the Year, would be something Hayward would benefit from. The Heat have a championship pedigree, great fan base and a core group of young and highly talented players.

The Jazz are desperate to keep Gordon

One of the biggest advantages that Utah will have in keeping Hayward on their roster, is the max contract they can offer him. The Jazz can offer him a five-year deal worth somewhere around $180 million, and that's almost $50 million more than any other team. It remains to be seen whether or not this will be the decisive factor in Hayward's decision.

Earlier this month, Miami Herald's Barry Jackson reported that: "A source connected with Hayward said that Hayward now has the legitimate interest in the Heat." No doubt that the 6-foot-8 swingman would fit in perfectly in the Miami Heat system, and this would mean that the Heat are back in the game in the Eastern Conference. Knowing Pat Riley, this seems to be possible and maybe the Cleveland Cavaliers are about to get another rival in the East.