Miami Heat Giving Bam Adebayo Much Awaited Front-Court Flexibility

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In the NBA, it’s always about finding ways to maximize your team’s young and talented centerpiece. For the Miami Heat, that is Bam Adebayo, and they may have finally found a way to build a specific front-court that enhances his skills.

It should be mentioned that there’s a reason long-term front-court fits are discussed whenever there’s trade possibilities in the off-season. One of the main ways to give Adebayo additional comfort is to give him consistency at the power forward or center position.

But since there weren’t any on the market, they went in another direction, which may be even more fitting in a short term sense.

There’s a certain theme with the guys that have lined up next to Adebayo over the years, and it’s not just about him playing the 4 or the 5. A year ago, he had major success next to a drop big in Meyers Leonard, before transitioning back to the 5 with Jae Crowder slotting into the starting lineup for playoff time.

Fast forward a year to this past season, there was a short period of time with a Moe Harkless trial, leading to the Kelly Olynyk insertion with some sprinkled in starts for Andre Iguodala, before eventually acquiring Trevor Ariza at the deadline.

The point that has been made in the past about Adebayo just needing to be put at the 4 for the team to have success isn’t really a fair statement. It’s not about his position, it’s just consistency.

And looking at that 2 year stretch of players lined up next to him, it’s obvious there was nothing consistent about that. Heading into the 2021-2022 season, none of those guys are on the roster, meaning it’s adjustment time for Adebayo once again.

But this time, in a good way.

PJ Tucker will most likely get the start to begin the year, and although he’s 36 years old, he’s been pretty available over the course of his career. Markieff Morris fits the build of players that fit well next to Adebayo as well, being a floor spacer in the corner who can also occupy space above the break, while bringing true defensive physicality.

Looking down the roster a bit more with two back-up bigs I touched on in my last piece, Dewayne Dedmon and Omer Yurtseven aren’t just Adebayo fillers. It took coach Erik Spoelstra quite some time to reach a certain confidence level with Dedmon-Adebayo minutes, and they weren’t half bad for stretches in that playoff series.

The key element there is that the other three players on the court must be deep threats, meaning no Jimmy Butler in those minutes. Other than that combination, there won’t be shooting questions in the front-court like the past.

Iguodala may have been great down the stretch in many games, and came up big in the bubble, but offensive production always seemed to plummet whenever he shared the floor with Adebayo especially. In the places Adebayo likes to operate, the defender in the corner guarding Iguodala would just help down, basically daring him to kick it out.

It’s just not ideal to manipulate certain lineups when role players don’t fit with the stars.

Omer Yurtseven, on the other hand, will get his shot at some point, and spacing issues won’t be in question. He can screen well, be utilized as a roller/popper, and is versatile enough to be plugged in different spots.

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That is four different players that can be combined with Adebayo in a positive fashion, which is just as good as gaining a young and reliable four. Much like Spoelstra, Adebayo needs fitting weapons around him so there isn’t a constant adjustment period.

And although I highlighted four possible pairings next to him, there’s still one more: Jimmy Butler.

We won’t ever see him playing the four in a regular season game, but if the match-up is right in the post-season, I believe we could see it frequently. It just depends on the health of Victor Oladipo.

When Spo wants to throw all of his weapons on the table in that environment, a lineup of Lowry-Dipo-Robinson-Butler-Adebayo will definitely be a possibility. And although that’s a non-shooting front-court, we already know the effectiveness of those two on the floor together.

The Heat built around Butler in a sense to add his good friend and win-now guys with championship experience, but don’t let that distract you from what they’re opening up for Adebayo.

The flexibility has officially been found, and once he gets enough reps with them in the regular season, we won’t be seeing certain combinations for the first time in a playoff series down 0-3. It’ll already be tested out much sooner, and a rhythm will be formed.

And Adebayo in a rhythm can be a scary sight.

 

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The Roles of Dewayne Dedmon and Omer Yurtseven are Fairly Simple

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The back-up big man slot on the Miami Heat is an interesting discussion to have. The two guys up for the job are polar opposites in terms of experience.

Omer Yurtseven will get his first run at the NBA level following his two-year standard contract, while Dewayne Dedmon will be heading into his 9th NBA season at age 32.

After Dedmon was signed late in the season this past year, he rolled right into the playoffs with fresh legs. And in that first round series against the Milwaukee Bucks, not only was he Miami’s most consistent player, but he was also their most productive.

With that said, there’s no doubt in my mind that Dedmon will be the back-up 5 in the rotation, but that doesn’t mean Yurtseven is kicked out completely. The reason Dedmon was so effective by playoff time was due to the fact that he only played 16 regular season games, meaning an 82 game stretch for next season doesn’t seem one bit possible.

(Enter Omer Yurtseven)

Being the back-up for the back-up is not a bad job to have in your first official season, especially when it’s the Miami Heat. They’re known for their willingness to give extra opportunities for the undrafted projects, since most of them up to this point have exceeded expectations.

But Yurtseven is a bit different from past guys who have gone this route. Why is that? Well, expectations are much more extreme for this young big man. Duncan Robinson, Kendrick Nunn, Max Strus, and many others showed up out of nowhere, leaving many observers of the team a bit surprised when they got extended run.

Now with Yurtseven, it’s almost expected that he’s going to get his shot and shine.

The pure fit with the Heat’s centerpiece Bam Adebayo makes it even easier to picture. A drop big who can protect the rim while Adebayo switches on the perimeter, a lengthier front-court partner for rebounding, and of course, a versatile offensive weapon who can shoot the three and score in the post, which are two of Adebayo’s weaknesses.

So aside from the games that Dedmon sits out, how will Yurtseven get a chance in the rotation?

It’s not a fun thing to talk about, but injuries happen. And on a team that consists of a bunch of veteran players who are much more fitted for the post-season, openings will present themselves.

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PJ Tucker is the expected starting four to begin the year, and he’s known for being an available player in the regular season when looking at his track record. But much like Dedmon, it feels like the regular season games played may decrease slightly at age 36.

(Once again, enter Omer Yurtseven)

When a player in the starting lineup goes down, where does Coach Erik Spoelstra usually look? It’s not as simple as inserting the reserve who usually enters for that player, but instead he brings in a guy that isn’t in the rotation, so it doesn’t mess up chemistry and lineup flow. It’s the reason Gabe Vincent had so many starts this past year.

That’s the Yurtseven role this season.

He’s not going to be the back-up 5 from the jump. He’s definitely not going to be an immediate starter next to Adebayo in the front-court. But I do believe he gets some reps in each of those roles as the season progresses, which is exactly what he needs.

Show some flashes whenever being thrown in there, and stock will rise among the coaching staff. Essentially being the relief pitcher will be his task, and the ability to be plugged in different spots opens things up for him even more.

As stated earlier, the roles of Dedmon and Yurtseven will be simple out the gate. Yurtseven will get a shot and plenty of reps, while Dedmon can be effective and preserve himself for the playoff run.

Yes, this team doesn’t have many guys in that middle ground of ages with the two categories of veterans or youthful inexperience, but this is the one way that type of roster construction can be maximized.

And Spoelstra and crew won’t bat an eye at the thought of giving trust to those type of players through the first 82.

 

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The Full Bam Adebayo Packet for Next Season

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Once the deal was finalized, sending Kyle Lowry to Miami in exchange for Goran Dragic and Precious Achiuwa, one guy came to mind when evaluating the Heat’s updated roster: Bam Adebayo.

The point guard-center connection always means a little more than other positions, especially when they’re going to be two of the primary players on the roster. Adebayo hasn’t played next to a true point guard in Miami up to this point, and well, that one position shifts his entire offensive effectiveness.

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A guy that can get him in his spots, put the ball above the rim for an athletic and dynamic finisher, and maximize players around him with his leadership is all Adebayo needs to take that next step.

But before diving immediately into the next leap, we must discuss the things that will be reiterated heading into the new season. So, let’s hop right into the ways that Adebayo will be utilized in the offense next year.

What will carry over into next season?

The Jab Jumper

The consistency in Adebayo’s mid-range jumper was the big leap last season. He would set up shop on the elbow after rolling off the DHO or PnR, and it began to make him a much bigger threat for opposing defenses.

Aside from the previous playoff series against the Bucks where Brook Lopez socially distanced from Adebayo on the elbow, most teams get up in his grill when he turns into face-up position. There are a couple reasons for this, but the first is that is where his play-making is deadliest.

He can make difficult passes over the top, sprint right by off the dribble, or just try and get into shooting motion inside the arc. But the question became: how can he generate both space and rhythm before firing?

Well, that’s where the jab step comes into play.

Not only were his pump-fakes not a true threat when being defended closely, but it just never created any type of reaction in one-on-one situations. The jab step, on the other hand, gets defenders feet moving. And that’s all Adebayo needs before using his undeniable quickness.

Looking at the clips above, you can see exactly what it leads to. The front foot always gets pushed backward, and it gives Adebayo the confidence to let it go without much of a contest. But that’s not even the main thing the jab step does for him.

As mentioned earlier, it’s more about rhythm. Every player has a specific wind up that gets them into their shooting motion. No matter if it’s a normal one-two foot plant around a screen like Duncan Robinson or a shoulder bump in the post like Omer Yurtseven, every single player has that one thing they rely on.

That’s why we see Adebayo use it even when it isn’t necessary. It gets him into a comfortable motion and can lead to good things as the shot clock is expiring. Many things will take leaps this year, but certain things like the jab step just need to “carry over.”

Roll Threat/Lob Threat

The other thing that we’ve seen since Adebayo’s rookie season that will be utilized more than ever before is the lob pass and overall roll usage. This is what makes the Lowry-Adebayo connection so dynamic.

Looking at the clips above, we see Gabe Vincent being the facilitator and creator in these pick and roll sets. And if an off-ball spot-up guy can get Adebayo in his spots in this fashion, just think about the things Lowry can do.

The first clip is a pretty typical top of the key pick and roll before finishing the lob pass, but the second clip is a Lowry-esque possession. Vincent uses the attack to create a switch on the block, before feeding Adebayo down low with the mismatch for the bucket.

This stuff will be simple translation, which is why it’s just about carrying over the basics. Many of these sets will be expanded on as the season goes on, but there’s no doubt in my mind Adebayo will have an immediate pick and roll connection with Lowry, due to both of their overarching strengths.

What needs some improving?

Post Predictability 

When being asked the question about the most necessary addition to Adebayo’s game next season, I would probably start with post play instead of three point shooting. The reason for that is if three-point shooting became a part of his game, it would probably just be from the corner which doesn’t truly move the needle.

If shots are being made from above the break, then that’s a completely different story. Adebayo as a top of the key or wing threat outside the arc changes the entire offense, due to the difference in spacing with the ability to pop out in every base action.

But that just doesn’t seem to be coming at this moment, since other parts of his game are being improved first, such as fully rounding out the mid-range jumper. Post-play, on the other hand, isn’t as much about skill-set expansion as it is comfortability and reps.

There are things that can be taken away from the two clips above, so let’s start with the first one. Doesn’t seem like anything major, since he has a guard down low on the block leading to a double coming from the top of the key. He kicked it out which ended in a Kendrick Nunn bucket.

The issue is that when his back turns to the basket that early, it is known a kick-out is coming. He’s a fantastic passer with his back to the basket, especially when he is able to play-make over the top of guys when he has the height advantage.

If that isn’t adjusted, teams will be very prepared by next season when they see him turn into the post. We saw some flashes with Team USA where he used some spins into base-line jumpers, and clearly, that’s all that is needed.

A go-to move down there when things begin to breakdown on the perimeter for potential kick-outs is the most important development. With a PJ Tucker front-court pairing, they already have their corner spacer, so it’s up to him to diversify the offense to make defensive scheming uncomfortable.

Drifting in Space

Although I’ve discussed the ways Adebayo can score as a roller off the screen, there’s still one more layer to that. One thing he was really good at last season was drifting down into space for easy floaters and push-shots.

Guys like Kendrick Nunn and Tyler Herro love to avoid the screen at times to try and navigate inside the arc in different ways. That initial movement leads to the pick and roll defenders shifting a bit as Adebayo can just search for a dead-spot.

The guard can then dump the ball off to him down low for an easy shot. But what part of that needs to improve?

If that stuff was happening with last season’s roster, imagine the extra space he will have with Lowry in that action. It was highly effective whenever it was used with Jimmy Butler, and the reason for that is his downhill gravity.

Adebayo will be able to get these type of looks, but it will be about making instinctive decisions instead of overthinking his placement after the screen is avoided. The two clips above show him being decisive after the ball begins to flow, and it leads to a rhythm floater.

Once that quickness and comfort is seen below the free throw line without the ball, it’s another minor part of his game that can really help the offensive production, particularly in non-Butler/Lowry minutes.

What offensive actions will we see frequently?

Double Drag Expansion

Now to the actions that can be run around Adebayo next season, this topic is endless. Shooters like Robinson and bigs with guard skill-sets like Adebayo are two guys that are easiest to scheme around. That’s why I’m highlighting the base sets Miami will go to.

I discussed double drag when talking about Butler’s role in my last piece, but Adebayo will be the true winner here. We’ve seen it used in the past, but the issue was that there weren’t as many options across the roster to mix it in.

Next season, the combinations are fluid: Butler as the ball-handler with Lowry popping and Adebayo rolling; Lowry handling, Robinson popping, and Adebayo rolling, etc. But a constant staple will be the three-man combo seen in the clip above.

Butler’s ability to attract eyes when slashing hard is like no other, while we already know the way Robinson and Adebayo are viewed in their respective slots. That leaves Lowry as a possible off-ball corner threat on this play, which makes things even more difficult to guard.

And well, that is the expansion with this action. Things will look pretty similar inside this set, but I believe the frequency increases majorly. Now that they have a starting lineup that fills the holes of this action absolutely perfectly, there’s no reason not to spam it in offensive droughts.

And that will absolutely enhance Adebayo’s effectiveness.

Inverted Pick and Rolls

Lastly, we have another point to be made that was noted when talking about Butler. I have gone on and on about the importance of inverted pick and rolls with Butler and Lowry, due to his high level screening for his size, but Adebayo is the true gem here.

The constant discussion throughout the season was how can Miami find ways to get Adebayo flowing downhill. The first thing that worked was using Robinson’s gravity to get him on the move. They ran some high pick and rolls with him to create 4 on 3’s with Adebayo, but the scheming didn’t stop there.

When Robinson is on the move off the ball, his man stays glued to him and isn’t afraid to grab him to eliminate any space for an advantage. He then began running his man into Adebayo’s defender as a screen, which gave him a wide open lane.

The inverted pick and roll seemed too easy for that duo.

In the second clip above, you see an example of that. Robinson battling through for the pick, a switch is forced, and Adebayo gets to the basket for the tough lay-in. But it shouldn’t have to be a Robinson screen every time.

Looking at the first clip above, the initial set is an empty corner inverted pick and roll with Adebayo and Butler. It puts Butler on the short roll where he thrives, and gets Adebayo a wide open pull-up middy with zero help at the nail.

That’s the expansion. It isn’t just about Adebayo finding ways to get himself and others good looks in the action. It’s about him realizing he essentially is the action.

As Butler responded when I asked him about this topic earlier this season: “He’s damn near unguardable whenever he’s playing like that.” And that’s exactly it. When confidence is high and his abilities are peaking, he frankly can’t be stopped when combining his size and skill-set.

Just watch his 41 point performance against the Brooklyn Nets for further assurance.

 

Everything Tradeshows is a one-stop-shop for trade show exhibit rentals and custom exhibit display purchase solutions to companies of all sizes.

Visit them at EverythingTradeShows or call 954-791-8882

How Will Jimmy Butler be Used Following Miami’s Recent Acquisitions?

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Some things are going to change for key Heat players this season considering they added a player of Kyle Lowry’s caliber, as well as some corner spacers in PJ Tucker and Markieff Morris. Even if it doesn’t change things majorly, roles will shift slightly.

To that point, it’ll lead to many of the player’s roles being simplified. Bam Adebayo can expect the ball to find him in comfortable spots on the roll. Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson will get more open looks with the extra rim pressure on the floor. Tucker, Morris, and Dewayne Dedmon won’t have to worry about many breakdowns on the perimeter defensively.

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Everything will be simple. But well, Jimmy Butler will be used all over the place. And that’s exactly how he likes it.

On the defensive end, it’s hard to keep him in one specific spot, since he does so many things really well. Hitting passing lanes is probably his best feature, can defend the post, and can’t truly be broken down one-on-one.

Offensively, the three-ball may not be a consistent shot for him, but he can be placed in every other spot on the floor to be effective as a scorer or facilitator. Much like Lowry, he’s very flexible in terms of where he can be used.

Before I continue to dive deeper and deeper into the specifics of this Heat roster, we can’t move forward too far before establishing the ways Butler will be utilized. So, let’s hop right into the film of how he will bounce off the newest acquisitions…

Defensively, Nobody Benefits More

Lowry changes many things for this team. One of the biggest shifts is that they are adding a point of attack defender who won’t die out on screens, which hugely takes some weight off Adebayo’s shoulders when defending the pick and roll.

But in my opinion, that ability impacts Butler more than anybody else on the team.

We all know what he is capable of on the defensive end, but there’s a reason that he began to hit some strides toward the end of the season on that side of the floor. Trevor Ariza being added mid-way through the year meant Butler didn’t have to defend the opposing team’s best guard in the regular season. And that was huge for his overall impact.

Lowry will be the guy in that spot moving forward, which means Butler will find himself off the ball on the weak-side more often. And I don’t think there’s many things Butler is better at than being a help-side freelancer on defense.

Looking at the play above, this is Jimmy Butler right at home. He takes chances that many players just wouldn’t, due to his confidence in his on-court reads.

Not many players are leaving Anthony Edwards wide open with zero help in sight, but Butler saw an opportunity. Naz Reid has his back to him, leading to a full out sprint from Butler to poke it free and play into transition. When he can be that sneaky helper who can disrupt ball-handlers completely, the team benefits greatly.

After this particular game, I asked Butler about making these type of reads, which he responded: “You gotta look at who has the ball, right or left handed, what their skill-set is, and I guess some good timing with some timely gambles…If I get them, it’s a good thing. If I don’t, I gotta hear Spo telling me to stop doing them.”

It’s not just about putting him in the best defensive spot physically. With Butler, it’s a mental game, and allowing him to manipulate offenses with a trusted guy on the perimeter will lead to very good things.

Why was Miami’s 2-3 zone so effective in the bubble specifically?

There are so many answers to that question: it hid negative perimeter defenders, caught opposing teams by surprise for them to adjust, etc. But one of the main things not talked about enough was pairing Butler’s perimeter dominance with another strong defender at the top of the key.

No clear-out could take him away from the play. No screen could force a switch to put them at a disadvantage. It was just pure confidence that his side-kick would be there no matter what, Adebayo was ready for the step-up or trap, and guys like Robinson and Herro had the simple task of filling the weak-side.

In some ways, that is what Butler will have in many of the Heat’s lineups next season. In the starting group, there will be 4 strong suited defenders on the floor, and a bunch ready to rotate in. Shooting may feel like the skill-set that is best around Butler, but it’s actually about the other side of the floor.

The Heat have a roster that enhances Butler, and that’s the exact reason they went in this direction.

Three-Man Game

Now to the offensive end, a lot of stuff will look like an Erik Spoelstra masterpiece. Weapons will be all over the place, meaning the motion offense will benefit greatly. But as seen in Toronto, running offensive sets as a three-man game works very well.

One variation of the three-man group will be Lowry, Robinson, and Adebayo. There will be games where they begin to spam double drag–Lowry facilitating/slashing, Robinson popping, and Adebayo rolling–which is the much needed diversity this offense has been searching for since the bubble breakout.

But more importantly, three-man actions down the stretch are going to include the team’s three best players: Butler, Lowry, and Adebayo. We could also see some double drag with these three, including Butler as the ball-handler and Lowry as the popper, since Lowry will be in a ton of off-ball spots throughout the year.

Looking at the clip above, though, this will be home-base for this trio late in games. The ball in the hands of Butler as Adebayo comes to set the screen. It appears to be a normal pick and roll, except a stagger screen is being set by Goran Dragic in this instance on the big man, forcing either a very favorable switch or an easy basket.

I’m going to discuss Lowry’s screening a bit more next, but that’s what elevates this combination. It’s going to get to a point where defenses have no other choice in these spots than to switch, giving Lowry an isolation on the pop-out with a slow big or Adebayo on the block with a guard.

It is textbook. And a couple of veterans being at the forefront of this just makes it so much easier.

Butler-Lowry Dynamic

Something I’ve highlighted many times in the past is that there’s a reason Butler-Dragic pick and rolls were so effective. Of course Dragic did more than enough to make stuff like this work, but it all revolved around Butler’s strengths.

Butler as the screener meant he could receive the ball on the short roll, which is where he’s super comfortable. He can use his plethora of pump-fakes, turn into a back-down, or plummet into the defender under the rim to draw the foul like he loves to do.

When running inverted PnR’s, the guard setting the screen or forcing the switch wasn’t what was important. It was that angle provided is all Butler needs to make something out of the possession. And when talking about guards screening, not many are better than Lowry in that department.

Looking at the plays above, something really sticks out: the spacing. In the first clip, the defender was willing to dip down for the cut-off, leaving Kendrick Nunn open on the perimeter, while in the second clip, Andre Iguodala’s corner presence was an after-thought.

Could that change for Miami next season? It’s definitely possible.

We know that nobody is ducking down to the nail when Robinson is on the perimeter, but it’s more about that 5th guy. It’ll come down to Tucker continuing to punish defenses in the corner, and Morris improving the efficiency levels little by little. If you give Butler space on these top of the key PnR’s, late-game offense will look a lot smoother.

Lob Threat through Power Forward Play-Making 

Speaking of the latest wings added to the team, Tucker and Morris, there’s a formula for them to take some extra initiation as passers. Tucker will most likely takeover the DHO sets at times to allow Adebayo to set-up on the weak-side, but Morris is actually the guy that will open up Butler’s play-book.

If there’s one part of the floor that Morris is an effective play-maker from, it’s the top of the key. He was used a ton in horns actions to open up the floor with him at the top of the offense, leading to skip passes to the corner or over the top passes to bigs at the rim.

(Enters Jimmy Butler)

Butler is clearly a high level slasher and off-ball cutter, which we saw with the Robinson rub screens time and time again. Looking at the plays above, we see Kelly Olynyk surveying the floor then hitting him in stride with the lob pass for the finish.

That can be the Markieff Morris role at times, and even if it doesn’t seem major, it will be. With a secondary attacker on the roster, finding these minor areas of the offense to take advantage of will be huge for Butler, and I think we see it gradually increase throughout the season.

Switching On and Off the Ball

I’ve talked enough about the spots he will be used and bouncing off of his teammates on offense, but we must finish off with this: he will still be putting the ball in the basket in the same way, just sometimes it’ll be slightly easier.

What I mean by that is Butler is 31 years old, and though he may be moving aside for certain possessions, his interior control will still be present on a nightly basis.

The part that needs to be mentioned here is drawing the line between on-ball and off-ball effectiveness. Once again, Lowry will be running the show a lot of the time with his crafty passing ability, but sticking Butler on the wing or in the corner won’t happen for long.

Not being a deep ball threat won’t allow him to be a spectator in the offense, which leads us right into the clip above by playing off the catch. There are only a few players who can score off the catch like Butler can, just like there’s few who can shoot off the catch like Robinson can. They have the recipe right in front of their eyes.

In the clip above, there’s nothing too complicated about doing this. Finding ways to get him sprinting toward the hoop is all he needs when balancing the ability to play on and off the ball. We’ve seen his on-ball skill frequently, but this small expansion changes things.

Run a double screen for Lowry on the wing, stick Robinson in the strong-side corner, and let Butler go to work. That is the recipe I’m talking about. And there are many more layers that can be added onto that.

Giving Spoelstra extra weapons and Butler extra layers to the offense is what each of them need to win basketball games. And well, they now have both.

 

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How Will Victor Oladipo Be Used for Miami Upon his Return?

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The biggest wild card for the Miami Heat this upcoming season is Victor Oladipo. After acquiring him at the trade deadline last season, the Heat resigned him to a veteran minimum following his recent injury.

With many evaluating the rotation of the Heat next season, it’s pretty obvious that Oladipo being plugged into a bench role can change the trajectory of the team. There has been mixed reporting about the timetable of his return exactly, but that probably isn’t the most important part about the next steps.

It isn’t when he will return, it is how he will return.

After repairing his right quadriceps tendon, it’s unclear how he will look once he gets back into action. But in my opinion, Oladipo at 75% helps this team at the back end of the season. As long as he can bring his base skill-set, it moves the needle enough.

So, let’s hop right into the ways that he will be used. And as we go through it, you’ll notice his role will mainly revolve around the key player that is on the floor next to him at that time…

Defensive Readiness

Before going completely into offensive usage, the defensive end must be the place we start. That was one of the main reasons the Heat wanted to acquire him last season, due to him possibly plugging the point of attack issues on the team.

And after adding Kyle Lowry this off-season, there are a bunch of projected defensive lineups that can really do damage in a playoff series. But when looking at the way he will come back from this injury, the biggest question seems to be how he will translate on the defensive end.

Lacking that same explosiveness and speed usually means taking a step back on that end, much like many are kind of expecting when Klay Thompson returns for the Golden State Warriors. But one thing that should be mentioned is that Oladipo’s defense isn’t solely carried by his speed and overall movement. It’s actually the defensive principles that carry the weight.

Look at the clips above from his biggest game with the Heat last season in that short span. These defensive highlights just further prove my point. Sprinkling in simple blitzes with Bam Adebayo, getting his hands on the ball when defending the post, and just making the necessary rotations.

None of that will change. He won’t have to carry a huge load on that end of the floor with the latest roster changes, except possibly guarding the best back-up guard when sharing the floor with Tyler Herro off the bench.

It’s just about what he will give them on the offensive end to complement others, and there’s one way to fully maximize that stuff….

Spotting Up from Deep Frequently. Very Frequently

There’s an obvious formula to working Oladipo back into play slowly. And well, that includes more spot-up shooting than explosive driving and kicking. Once again, Lowry now being a part of the roster can really allow Oladipo to take his time on the offensive end when returning, but some of this will be on Herro’s immediate role.

Although I will tough on this duo next, it’s important to mention that Herro’s utilization is going to be simplified majorly. It could be in many different ways, but the point is that putting Oladipo into catch and shoot spots at the beginning can really cater to Herro.

Aside from that, Oladipo’s spot-up shooting willingness has trended upward over the years. In the 2018-2019 season, he only played 36 games in the regular season, and shot 96 total spot-up triples on 41% shooting. Looking at this past season where he bounced around the league playing 33 games, he ended up attempting a total of 120 threes on 38% shooting.

This wasn’t supposed to be his offensive role on any team, due to his dynamic attacking ability paving the way along with his unique outside shot creation. But well, adjustments are important when a player goes through the things Oladipo has gone through.

Whenever he has been slotted back into play after an absence, catch and shoot scoring is where he always finds himself. And I’m pretty sure we will see it again with Miami this upcoming season.

Back-Up Back-Court Flexibility

As alluded to briefly in the last section, the success of the Heat late in the season will have a lot to do with the production of Herro and Oladipo off the bench. How can they produce at a high level as the key players on the floor? Well, let’s take a look.

For starters, as I’ve noted many times, there won’t be many instances that those two are the key players on the floor, due to the idea that Lowry, Adebayo, and Butler will be on the bench at the same time isn’t truly a reality.

But taking a look at the clip above, this is where Herro’s game will be simplified a bit to start the season. Playing off the catch, but obviously not in a Duncan Robinson style. He’s going to station himself on the wing or corner in shooting position, but he’s going to mix in those step-backs and side-steps to really make himself dangerous.

Looking at the second clip, this ties into Oladipo’s possible role in the offense. Herro collapsing the defense a bit off the pick and roll then making decisions from there. That is another part of his game that could really use a boost, and if he can read rotations at a high level in this way, by making skip passes under the rim, this combination elevates.

In a very small sample size last season, the numbers with Herro and Oladipo on the floor weren’t very good. But with the recent roster construction, lineups will benefit when both of them can play against opposing back-up back-courts.

Oladipo may be the wild card of the team, but the wild card tandem is definitely the development of these two as possible reserve killers.

Adebayo-Oladipo Immediate On-Court Chemistry

Before discussing this from Oladipo’s perspective, it should be noted in a general sense. Why was is that Adebayo worked so well with Oladipo in a short span?

As good as Oladipo is, it wasn’t just because of him. It’s what comes from a shot creating guard who can score at all three levels following a screen or a hand-off from Adebayo. It’s why the Lowry addition is more important than some may think.

Spacing wasn’t off in these games, off-ball actions were fluid due to the amount of eyes on the strong side, and their skill-sets matched up. If multiples shot creators are put on the floor with Adebayo, it’s clear that good things will come out of it. Very good things.

Other than that, the first clip just shows how much the team elevates if he has even the slightest ability to get to the rim in a smooth fashion. That would mean Lowry and Butler could take a breather together on the bench, while Herro, Oladipo, and Adebayo bounce off each other to create good offense.

Oladipo at the top of the key with Adebayo and Robinson as screeners. It turns into an Adebayo hand-off for Dipo as Robinson screens for Herro in the corner. No help can drop down due to the pull that off-ball action puts on the defense, leading to an easy bucket for Dipo.

That’s the effect Oladipo has on the team. It’s the reliever for a 35 year old Lowry and a 31 year old Butler. These lineups with Herro-Dipo-Robinson-(insert corner spacer)-Adebayo will be a creative frenzy for Coach Erik Spoelstra, before transitioning back into the main thing with Lowry and Butler running the show.

It’s simple: Oladipo changes the game for them.

The Kyle Lowry Effect

Finally, Dipo wouldn’t just be a Lowry filler. We’ve talked about the way they can bounce off each other defensively at the point of attack, but there’s one offensive point to be made: pacing.

The Heat were a heavy half-court team this past season, even when shifting into a top 10 defense after acquiring Trevor Ariza. Transition offense didn’t ever look bad, it was just that possessions were always slowed down or pulled out to await the initial action.

A big like Adebayo with his guard-like skill-set should take advantage of that area, Butler loves to bull-doze his way to the cup, and of course, Lowry can get down there whenever he chooses and manipulate the whistle in different ways.

But the same may go for Oladipo.

He’s another guy who likes to push tempo, and if Butler or Adebayo are unwilling to, just know Lowry and Oladipo will make sure to change that rather quickly. That also does wonders for shooters like Robinson, since if the ball can be sprayed in the open court to collapse the defense a bit, transition threes will come often.

Looking back at the Warriors’ outside shooting over the years, it felt like every game, open looks were being generated just through that open court pressure. Draymond Green or Andre Iguodala would take control at times, and Miami has a few of those types that can mirror that transition shooting creation to a certain degree.

The most essential part about a player like Oladipo returning from injury is that he is versatile. If one part of his game eases up, he will put more weight on an attribute that can benefit in the short-term. This new roster is much more diverse, but for that to truly be seen, Dipo will need to take advantage of the role Coach Spo drums up for him upon his return.

And that could be sooner than originally expected.

 

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A Single Offensive Addition Changes the Game for Duncan Robinson

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Following a breakout sophomore season from Duncan Robinson, leading into a Finals run in the bubble, it was going to be hard to reiterate that same effectiveness in his third season.

He was on the top of scouting reports, teams were fronting his perimeter movement, and open threes were impossible. With him adjusting to all of this, he had a bit of a rough start to the season. But well, a “rough start” for Robinson is a normal start for others.

He ended up finishing his third season with a very similar stat-line, including 13 points a game, knocking down 3.5 threes a game on 41% shooting from deep. Yeah, I guess that isn’t too bad.

Speaking of those “adjustments,” they were being thrown at him from every direction. Starting his sets a few steps behind the three-point line to maximize spacing, sprinkling in some back-cuts to keep defenders honest, and accepting the decoy role when it was needed.

But there’s still one necessary step to truly elevate his game at this stage. It doesn’t involve excessive dribbling. It doesn’t involve hard attacks to the basket out of his comfort zone.

It’s rather simple: one pump-fake, two dribbles, and a pull-up.

It is something that I even brought up in the previous off-season, but obviously in limited time, that was a high expectation. But although we didn’t see it much this season, there were some glimpses that showed it’ll be easier to develop than originally expected.

When I stated that Robinson had to start certain actions farther from the three-point line, the clip above further proves that. He runs a high pick and roll with Bam Adebayo, which allows him to flow downhill and stop and pop at the perimeter for a pull-up triple.

The reason that’s important to note is to show the mechanics are there. Most of the time for catch and shoot players like himself, the stuff that comes before the actual release is the hardest part when forming a mid-range shot. The ability to have good balance on the abrupt stop, the comfortability with lifting following the two dribbles, and overall body control.

Getting those type of reps are setting him up for that next step of developing a mid-range game to a certain degree. It’s not that he will use it a ton, but it must be an option. If the shot isn’t there, defenses know the next option is a pocket pass or a simple swing. Once that expands, the game becomes much easier for him, yet much harder for the guy on the other side of the ball.

The most important part about this move is that it can be used in many different ways, meaning Erik Spoelstra can have a field day with opening up one of his favorite offensive weapons.

In the first clip above, we see a way it can be utilized as an off-ball threat, as he curls off the off-ball screen and catches in stride. If he can get to the rim, that will always be an option, since he’s very efficient once he gets down there. But there won’t seem to be many opportunities to get down there with ease considering his current skill-set.

Three defenders collapse once they see what is developing, but simply, there’s nothing they can do about that free throw line pull-up.

And by the way, not to stray off the topic too far, but there’s another minor reason this play worked: the Max Strus usage. That off-ball corner distraction pulls away those two defenders from the on-ball action, giving them the space they need. If Strus does end up getting rotational minutes as expected, that is why those two can be used together in beneficial ways.

The second clip above is just Robinson playing freely. It’s an awkward possession after the ball almost rolls past half-court, leading to him avoiding the screen to drive hard, before stopping at a dead spot once again.

Another area his deep ball shooting has really prepared him for is the overall offensive feel with the ball in his hands. As much as we discuss his gravity, that means that defenders are constantly flying around him from every direction. Due to that, he has developed a natural feel to find the spots on the floor that he can fire away.

This one simple move may not seem like it holds high importance, but it absolutely does. He already has the attributes that make him highly effective in this league, but now it’s all about finding ways to open that up more.

And when defenders are sprinting out for contests, mixing in that pump-fake, two-dribble pull-up can change the game for him next season. Obviously improving on-ball defense more and more will be a huge priority, but it wouldn’t shock me if this has been the main thing being harped on this entire off-season.

 

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KZ Okpala: Understanding His NBA Role

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It has been a rocky start to KZ Okpala’s NBA career. The expectations were high after Miami sent out three second round picks to acquire him in the 2019 NBA draft, and he has yet to have a featured role on this Heat team.

The first road block that came up frequently was the lack of true NBA experience. He was never really given a true chance out there on the floor, but after this past season when opportunities arose, it was obvious that wasn’t the issue.

The next conversation to be had was that the Summer League void really stunted his development. But after seeing him in action for his first Summer League the past few weeks, there are some clear takeaways about his future.

Usually when a player is heading into their third season and playing in Las Vegas, there’s separation between themselves and the next guy. There’s more overall comfort at this stage, an all-around understanding of the game and sets that will be run, and of course, being the first or second option enhances a lot of things.

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The issue was that there was no padding between Okpala and the undrafted guys heading in, and frankly, being the first or second option on Summer League wasn’t really that possible with his unknown offensive game.

But with that said, how can Okpala find his offensive game?

For starters, the reason he gets harped on so often is due to Miami investing so much into a young kid with a proven strength at the NBA level: defensive pressure.

One-on-one basketball on the defensive end is exactly his game. He can press up on the ball from baseline to baseline, fight over screens at a high level, and never allows ball-handlers to create much separation. There’s no doubt in my mind that’s an elite skill for a guy that isn’t getting extended run.

But the issue is that stuff doesn’t matter if Okpala doesn’t know his offensive role. There’s a difference between offensive struggles, and just plainly not fitting on that end of the floor. Okpala has definitely attached to the latter.

He’s obviously not a guy that can really stretch the floor, meaning when he stations himself in the corner, the spacing just absolutely plummets since his guy becomes a freelancing tagger and doubler. The thing he has gone to most as a scorer is attacking the basket, and that just doesn’t seem to be an effective attribute of his in the short-term or long-term.

Okpala doesn’t have great touch around the rim, which means he can high elbow his way to the basket, if the offensive foul isn’t called, and it just puts him in a very awkward position. So, how can this stuff be avoided?

Well, it all comes down to a simple deep ball jumper.

It really isn’t that simple, but that’s the place he will need to trend if he wants to be an effective player in this league. And by the way, this isn’t just because he went 4 of 5 from beyond the arc in his final Summer League game, even though that just proves it’s in there somewhere.

Even if he’s not super comfortable in a spot-up role, that’s where he will most likely be utilized moving forward as he continues to work on his game offensively. A consistent corner three ball shifts the way Miami can use him as a plug and play guy.

If his defender can just stay semi-glued to him when he spaces himself in the corner, combined with some defensive dominance that he always seems to bring on the perimeter, that’s a guy the Heat can use right now.

No dribbles. No attacking. No dribble penetration.

Just play off the catch, fire away when open, and work on the defensive reads a bit more to limit turnovers and predictability. He enjoys cutting through the middle of the floor with the ball in his hands, but the issue is that defenders just front their man on the perimeter.

His eyes tell the whole story when trotting through the lane, since it’s clear he is looking for the kick-out and not thinking about scoring. As we all know, Okpala is a project for Miami, but at least they have an idea what his offensive future can look like.

Catch and shoot. Catch and shoot. Catch and shoot.

Being a 3 and D player is the way for him to truly thrive in this league, and that’s a build the Miami Heat are very familiar with. Simplifying his game will be most important for him at this stage, and well, that’s as simple as it gets from a role perspective.

Okpala has the blueprint, and it’s up to him to gain a role on this team if he really wants it.

 

Everything Tradeshows is a one-stop-shop for trade show exhibit rentals and custom exhibit display purchase solutions to companies of all sizes.

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Answering Your Questions on the Miami Heat’s New Roster

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There’s plenty to discuss regarding the Miami Heat this off-season, especially since there will be a long period of time with no basketball following Tuesday’s final Summer League game. So, with a bunch of recent player breakdowns and many more on the way, this piece is all about answering your guys’ questions.

The roster looks different, the scheme will look different, which leaves us with quite the debate toward the bottom of the rotation. Anyway, let’s hop right into some of the questions…

If you consider Gabe Vincent a “G-Leaguer,” then possibly. But for the most part, the answer is the latter.

Last season, there really wasn’t a way to utilize facilitators by committee, due to Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo being the only true threats. And even though there was only one major addition in that department, in Kyle Lowry, it’ll make all the difference.

One point that I will continue to hammer home this off-season is that a back-up point guard would be ideal, but it’s not as necessary as it was in past years. There won’t be many moments that Lowry, Butler, and Adebayo are all on the sideline at the same time, which is why the roles will be sustainable barring zero injuries.

Although I don’t see them fluctuating Tyler Herro’s role in that fashion, there will be some minor play-making usage from guys like PJ Tucker and Markieff Morris.

Tucker is the gem that can run some hand-offs for Duncan Robinson, allowing Adebayo to play off the catch. Morris will be used mostly as a screener at the top of the key, where he’s shown to be pretty useful as a passer with skip passes from that area.

The point is that bench play-making shouldn’t be much of a worry in my eyes, due to the roster catering to others stepping up.

 

When discussing the possibility of playing Omer Yurtsveen next to Adebayo in certain lineups, it’s not really about Yurtseven making any type of expansion. His skill-set blends in well with Adebayo’s right now.

The question is more about Yurtseven’s capabilities against the NBA competition at this stage, since he clearly fits the build of the lengthy bigs that can be effective front-court pairings.

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Defensively, we all know what Adebayo can do on the perimeter against smaller guys, but the most important part about playing at the four is that he can be more of a weak-side free-lancer to help out as Yurtseven drops in the action. He’s been highly effective so far as a shot-blocker, which is the one piece Adebayo can use as a defensive combo.

The offensive side of the ball is even simpler. Yurtseven’s role would be simplified to constant screening and popping for his most coveted spot of the floor: above the break threes. That fits with Adebayo’s interior and mid-range play pretty perfectly, and some 4-5 PnR’s would unlock plenty of things for Adebayo’s game.

This of course is best case scenario when talking about the development of Yurtseven, but there’s no doubt that it makes more sense than the development and fit of Precious Achiuwa.

After touching on the combo of Adebayo and Yurtseven in the front-court, I just don’t feel the best possible lineup with those two is very complicated. Throwing out Lowry, Butler, and Robinson is a pretty ideal blend of shooting, dribble penetration, and defense.

I’ve seen many bring up the point about Adebayo thriving next to Meyers Leonard or Kelly Olynyk for long stretches due to having a drop big as his side-kick, but I feel there’s a deeper meaning.

The reason for that high level play according to the numbers wasn’t because of who was next to Bam Adebayo. It was Bam Adebayo.

The only reason those numbers jump out at you is due to it being over a longer period of time. Jae Crowder was acquired at the trade deadline before the league shut down, then went on to make a run to the NBA finals without any true on-court chemistry.

The same goes for Trevor Ariza this year, which even though the playoff outcome was entirely different, it was a short period of time where the plan was basically for Adebayo to just “figure it out.”

It isn’t about the player build next to Adebayo, it’s about longevity and chemistry. And with the PJ Tucker pick-up, there’s a good chance he will finally have a full season with one front-court pairing. That’s the difference maker.

Max Strus’ recent play in Summer League definitely shouldn’t be pushed under the rug. Shooting consistency, on-ball flashes, and strong all-around play. But with that said, I don’t know if I see him getting the “3 and D” label.

Since we’re projecting forward in this scenario, I think there’s more of a chance that he breaks out in different areas offensively than becoming a full out 3 and D player. This isn’t a knock on his defense, since his physicality on that end allows him to be successful in many areas, but it just points to his offensive up-side.

His overall qualities trend toward being a trusted rotation piece over many other guys in the running. Like I said previously, he is consistent, and that is huge when we’re talking about those final rotation spots.

The team knows his primary skill, and he knows that he can do it well on a regular basis. Other guys are still in that middle ground trying to discover their biggest strength while trying to improve their all-around game, so it honestly feels like Strus will come out on top in that grouping.

Gabe Vincent has indeed been in Vegas, but there was a good idea that he wasn’t going to play. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t anything injury related, but it was due to him just coming off an extended stretch of games with Nigeria in the Olympics.

As much as some may think it’s a crucial development period to just get out there and get some reps, I don’t know if I 100% agree when talking about Vincent. Of course we see where Strus’ stock has gone over the last few weeks, but Miami pretty much knows what they have in Vincent already.

KZ Okpala, on the other hand, was in a similar situation as Vincent in the Olympics with Nigeria, but his story is completely different. This time is more important for him than anybody else. There isn’t really a chance that he will be getting any type of run next season as a rotational player, so he had to utilize this time correctly.

Vincent sees a rotation spot standing right in front of him, and it’s totally on him to take full advantage of it. If he shoots the ball at a decent clip, I believe it is his. The Heat trust him in a bunch of different spots, and having a tough defensive guard next to Herro off the bench isn’t the worst thing.

The question becomes: Who takes the offensive initiator role? Herro or Vincent? It’s an interesting conversation to be had, since I believe they will use Herro in different ways next season, but Vincent is much more of an off-ball threat even after playing so much point guard last season.

We will see what happens with that, but ultimately, it’s setting up nicely for Vincent to get a real opportunity.

If this was a question about the two-way contracts, I wouldn’t have to answer because it will most likely be both of them in that spot.

Marcus Garrett has essentially been a two-way lock since his first game, since teams like when they can distinguish a specific skill immediately as a major strength. As I’ve said in the past, I don’t remember many Heat Summer League guys that were this solid defensively this soon.

His biggest strength is fighting over screens both on and off the ball, but his ball-pressure is elite, he can hit passing lanes at a high level, and can really get under the skin of ball-handlers in the half-court. To sum up, he’s a Heat guy.

DeJon Jerreau, on the other hand, is more of an all-around threat. He may not be as good of a defender as Garrett, but he’s not too far behind. Another guy who is a very savvy on-ball defender, and loves to pick the pocket of dribblers as a help defender.

He’s a very good finisher due to his flashy ways, has a fall-away jumper makes it hard for defenders to contest, and he took full control as primary facilitator of this Summer League unit. He can make serious reads in the pick and roll, not only in the action, but watching the weak-side tagger for the easy skip pass.

Jerreau is super skilled, which is why it’s hard to really see them passing up on him with the two-way. As I said before the draft, Miami would be looking for a defensive guard to try and develop. Not only did they find one, but they’ve got two.

 

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How Will Max Strus Be Used for Miami Next Season?

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Over his time in Summer League, Max Strus has been putting on quite a show for the Miami Heat. Knock-down shooting, cold-blooded game winners in sudden death, and respectable leadership.

The best players in this environment can be picked out pretty quickly due to their being a major gap between themselves and the next guy. Surprisingly, Strus has been one of them.

And the more that we are seeing this offensive expansion, the more it shows that Strus can very well have a regular spot in the rotation next year for Miami. With a bench unit consisting of Tyler Herro, Markieff Morris, and Dewayne Dedmon, that ninth man has been quite the topic over the past few weeks, but he may be right in front of their eyes.

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So, instead of continually talking about his overall skill-set, let’s take a dive into the ways he can be utilized on the actual roster next season…

Screen Usage

This is not going to be a Max Strus-Duncan Robinson comparison piece, since frankly that comparison is extremely lazy, but it’s important to bring up in terms of his role. Yes, they can both shoot the ball from beyond the arc, but there aren’t many other parallels about their games.

Robinson being more of a lengthy and skinnier build, while Strus is more of a bigger and stockier build is a perfect starting point. Strus will be a perfect offensive tool for Erik Spoelstra in terms of screening, especially considering his overall physicality on both ends.

Looking at the play above, it’s something we see a lot with Robinson, but that won’t come with such ease for others. Robinson slipping a screen does wonders due to its’ pull on a defense when he sprints to the wing, but Strus will be used in a much different manner.

Early on, defenses weren’t even remotely worried about him popping out as seen in the clip. It allowed him to get into a rhythm of just catching and firing. Will he get that shooting label next to his name pretty quickly? Most definitely, and that is when the true difference can be made about his effectiveness.

Angling screens downhill for Jimmy Butler and Kyle Lowry on the ball will be home-base. Of course he will be in a Robinson-lite role by coming off screens, but it feels like Strus will be in the actions more than he is out of it. Once he gets extended run out there, the plans will change, but it seems like that will be the starting point of using his greatest skill to the offense’s advantage.

Robinson-Strus Trials

Strus entering the game for Robinson next season could be extremely beneficial for the offense, but how could things look with them both on the floor? The small sample size last season says it can look really good.

The reason for that is they can transfer Strus into Robinson’s off-ball navigation role, and totally maximize spacing with Robinson as a screener.

Looking at the clip above, this is the perfect starting point: Strus coming off a double off-ball screen with Robinson setting the initial pick. It loops into a Bam Adebayo dribble hand-off, which ended in Strus knocking down a good look from three. But that’s not even the most important part of the play.

The essential element is when Strus receives the hand-off. The closest defender to the goal is currently at the free throw line, with nobody in sight below the rim. That is what is meant by “maximizing spacing.” It’s why these minutes are so likely, due to Spoelstra’s willingness to become very creative with the combination of weapons and space.

Strus obviously won’t have a major role in the rotation next season, since they will simplify it down on offense as a spot-up shooter to start, but limitations won’t be placed on him. Some minor leaps from Robinson are expected, but Strus may be the key to unlock some of those things.

Many are aware these two can mesh on the offensive end, but the question becomes the defensive stuff that was harped on all of last season. But that should no longer be a worry…

Defensive Survival

For one, this isn’t the same Heat team as last year. They have added two strong wing defenders who can guard multiple positions, a veteran point of attack defender who will plug so many of Miami’s holes, and lost two guards who were known as poor defenders.

Worrying about certain lineups defensively won’t be as common, and it definitely shouldn’t be when discussing Max Strus. He’s definitely not a high level defender, but he’s clearly not a bad one. Even when being thrown into the fire last season, he found a way to survive on that end of the floor.

Strus knows how to use his bulky frame to defend bigger wings in the post, and has a great feel for dropping down off the perimeter for cut-offs in the paint or at the nail. That off-ball defensive role will be his usual placing anyway, when being surrounded by guys like Butler, Adebayo, Lowry, Tucker, and more.

Robinson made some minor improvements on that end last season, and there’s no doubt in my mind there are more to come. Non-defensive lineups won’t be common next season due to the current roster construction, and I’m not even sure I would bat an eye at Robinson-Strus minutes on that end. Around those other guys, there shouldn’t be many issues to make the coaching staff think twice.

Summer League Attacking isn’t Temporary

One of the first surprises from Strus last season with Miami was his ability to put the ball on the floor and get to the rim in a strong fashion. He had a few highlight reel moments, catching a body or two, and we’ve seen even more flashes of that in the Summer League.

But don’t let recency bias distract you from the fact it isn’t just the competition, it’s just the skill-set of Strus.

As I mentioned earlier, spot-up play will be where he finds himself often in the offense, but he’s going to catch people off-guard by using his body to float downhill and get to the rim with ease. He isn’t a flashy or smooth attacker, he’s just a solid attacker. And that is exactly what the Heat will need from him.

Looking at the roster, it seems like Lowry and Butler will have to carry a lot of the load as downhill threats. There are a bunch of different skill-sets on the team, but some guys like Tyler Herro or Strus will need to sprinkle in some effective drives to bend the defense slightly.

Robinson’s next step will most likely be the mid-range, and even though he’s been super efficient around the rim so far, it doesn’t seem like he will be getting down there much. If Strus can just barely improve his handle to be able to work stuff in the interior, it’ll make a lot of this stuff much more flexible.

And knowing Strus’ background of doing whatever the coaching staff tells him, it’s very possible we see that pretty quickly.

Wild Card

And finally, Strus’ wild-card ability. This entire piece has been about where he plugs into the offense next season in certain lineups, but this one attribute shifts the entire conversation completely.

Coming into Summer League, it was obvious he would be getting plenty of on-ball reps, forcing him to shoot off the dribble, create a bit, and facilitate in that leadership role. And he’s done all of that and more.

Not only is he running unexpected pick and rolls, but he’s throwing defenders all over the place to fire away from deep.

Looking at the clips above, this stuff should not be skipped over. The first play is not bad defense whatsoever. He covers him tightly as he mixes in some between the leg dribbles, before leaning right and firing over the top of his contest. Bucket.

Why do I feel like this stuff is sustainable? Well, the thing about this ability is it comes down to the player’s response to certain contests. And if there’s one thing I know about Max Strus after watching him in Summer League, it’s that he isn’t fazed by any shot contest when he’s behind the three-point line.

If this on-ball expansion is made, it makes a bunch of people’s jobs much easier. I wouldn’t expect to see it much, but that being in his bag somewhere can make the difference.

Miami now has the defensive group they always seem to like, but bucket getters are now a necessity. And well, Strus has proved to be quite the bucket getter over his time in Las Vegas.

 

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Tyler Herro: A Similar Role, A Different Game

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Down 2, 12 seconds left. Jimmy Butler pokes the ball free from Joel Embiid’s hands and Tyler Herro grabs it in transition. He retreats back out to the wing as the entire Heat arena takes a lengthy inhale and buries the triple to take the lead.

That’s the moment that really turned some heads regarding Herro as a player his rookie season, but what has changed since then?

Stats? Not really, since the numbers were pretty similar in his sophomore season which may be viewed as a negative thing by many.

Role? Although it did alter quite a bit to begin the season, they immediately put him back into that sixth man role to be a straight bucket getter this season.

The only thing that really changed when talking about Herro this past season was expectations, which is a pretty wild thing. After an incredible bubble run his rookie year, there was a general consensus that another major leap was going to be made in an uneven year, but there was nothing “major” about last season.

Other than three-point percentages going in the opposite direction, everything else increased in the slightest fashion. 13.5 PPG to 15.1 PPG. 2.2 APG to 3.4 APG. 4.1 RPG to 5.0 RPG. 43% field goal percentage to 44% field goal percentage.

Of course the Heat really needed some type of leap if they wanted to get to the next level with the previous roster, but this idea that his numbers decreased this past season is just absolutely incorrect. He just carried over that same regular season play-style, but that doesn’t seem to be the case heading into his third season.

The team improved at the point guard position, adding Kyle Lowry. They improved defensively by adding PJ Tucker, Markieff Morris, and of course, Lowry. They also added a guy from each of the last three Championship teams.

Things are looking slightly different in Miami, and things will look “slightly” different for Herro as well. The role will be a familiar one, but the usage inside that role will be up to him. And he has a chance to really shine with the current roster contruction.

He kind of blended in with the past group, due to him being included in the weakness of the team with defensive capabilities. They’ve filled that hole now, and now they need a guy to put the ball in the basket.

And there’s a couple major areas of the offense to keep an eye on for his downhill expansion….

Off the Catch

This play above is something we’ve seen for quite some time with Herro in Miami. Starting in the corner, flying off a double off-ball screen before catching and exploding. He has good touch once he gets around the rim, so it’s continually been about finding ways to get him down there.

Herro has to basically take some things out of Duncan Robinson’s book with off-ball movement. Obviously not to the magnitude of the way Robinson does it, since he’s one of the best in the league at what he does and it bends the defense greatly, but Herro has to be on the move as much as possible.

Stagnant offense hurts him. Patiently waiting in the corner off the ball or at the top of the key on the ball isn’t ideal for a Miami offense or Herro himself. We’re going to see plenty of those off-ball screens shown above, but there will need to be some added layers if he’s going to push them in the right direction…

Downhill Diversity

Herro’s initial step of offensive diversity is displayed above: the snake dribble. It gets him moving in all kinds of directions, and his awkward looking, but very comfortable, push-shots really gave his skill-set a boost when he was playing with that high-level confidence.

Using the screen on the wing, spinning back the opposite direction after the roll, and rising up in the lane. Pull-up elbow jumpers and open lob passes will always be there, but this stuff is what will keep a defense on its toes. And Herro will need to keep defenders on their toes in this role.

In an ideal situation, isolations could be used more and more with Herro and the bench unit, but I don’t really see that being the case. Dewayne Dedmon’s usual screen and roll, Morris DHO’s at the top of the key, and obviously the Lowry effect will all be factored into the game-plan, which will be a bunch of screening to force miscommunications defensively.

That snake dribble showcased some growth this season, but it feels like that will still be too predictable. But a consistent jumper following fancy footwork in the interior shifts the discussion…

The scouting report on Herro can probably pinpoint where he likes to get on the floor in these type of sets. Rising up with the floater after two dribbles or an immediate pull-up at the elbow. Herro uses neither.

A quick step inside to fake the attack led to a smooth pull-back for the jumper. Now that type of expansion in his game means they will be able to put more on his plate.

Some offensive creativity will be crucial for his game, and this type of stuff was seen down the stretch of the season. There was no major jump in his game on the floor last season or any crazy statistic changes, but there were some minor adjustments that we haven’t seen before.

The third year is always important for players, and it’s when we will get to see a different version of guys like Herro. But even if that other version comes along with some unique things in his bag that was shown above, there’s still one thing that must be revived to make it all come together…

Spotting Up from Deep

The one statistic drop this past season was catch and shoot threes, which was a bit surprising. He went from over 44% on spot-ups to a little over 39% on the same number of attempts. If next season can mirror his rookie year as an outside shooter off the catch, I believe that he can make the necessary step to do his job and more on this Heat team.

While many envision his role on the bench unit to be an on-ball guy with facilitating duties, I believe it’ll be the opposite. Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler, and Kyle Lowry won’t really be on the bench at the same time next season, meaning they can continue to play Herro to his biggest strengths.

Running off screens to attack, mixing it up in the mid-range for easy scoring, and more importantly, efficient shooting on kick-outs from all of Miami’s play-makers.

There’s a formula for him to be successful on this team next season. In some ways, he was just another guy on the team last year heading in, with guys like Goran Dragic, Kendrick Nunn, and others playing similar roles.

Now he has his role on this team again and it’s only his. It’s the same role but a different game. And that different game of his can be the changing factor between Miami winning a playoff series and losing one.

It’s setting up perfectly for him to be effective, and nobody on the team is standing in his way of that very necessary play-style.

 

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