A Montrezl Harrell Miami Heat Signing Seems Unlikely, But Not Impossible

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If you were asked to build a picture perfect Miami Heat big, he’d probably look a lot like Montrezl Harrell.

Montrezl is now heading into free agency this offseason with Miami looking for a similar big.

The reason I believe this is unlikely is because he’s 26 with an immense amount of upside. He should be looking for a 4 year deal since this is about that time for him to do that, but a one year deal with Miami is not out of the question.

Many believe that if he was to go the route of a one year deal, it would for sure be the Miami Heat.

Now, how would this fit be for this upcoming season?

For starters, the reason he’s a picture perfect Heat player is because he brings the type of intensity and physicality that Miami usually likes. And he’s had that motor since he played for Louisville in college. Being selected 32nd overall also proves he’s been doubted much like these Miami Heat players were.

Miami has struggled on the boards, which is why there’s been so much discussion about possible bigs, but Montrezl is the physical rebounder Miami may need. He’s only 6’7 but obviously rebounds and plays much bigger.

He’s also a force on the block, which may be good for Miami to have that big man activity down low, and allow Bam to dictate the offense. If he would be able to work the post a lot, that would open up Miami’s shooting even more.

His defensive versatilities are obvious as well, but his shot blocking abilities and strength against bigs could once again allow Bam to roam around the perimeter.

This Bam and Montrezl duo would truly be an exciting one, since they’re both emerging bigs with totally opposite skill-sets.

Obviously though, this signing would not be likely as mentioned previously, since there’s a good chance somebody will offer him a 4 year deal. I believe a lower tiered team will throw a huge deal at him this off-season, that he just wouldn’t be able to deny.

But once again, due to the crafty front office of the Miami Heat, anything is possible.

 

Who Is the Better Power Forward Fit for Miami: Paul Millsap or Danilo Gallinari?

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Paul Millsap and Danilo Gallinari are two guys that many have talked about possibly signing with Miami. Obviously both have their own strengths with what they could bring to this current Heat team. But who would be more effective?

For starters, I think it’s pretty obvious what Paul Millsap would bring to this team. He’s a veteran guy that knows how to play a role wherever he arrives.

He’s fairly capable of knocking down the three ball, and has the ability to go on big scoring spurts. That’s what he did in the third quarter of game five against the Los Angeles Clippers, when he scored 14 points in the third.

He also brings a good defensive presence at that position. Since Bam Adebayo is the quick and lengthy big, it’s clear that Paul can take some bigger match-ups with his wide frame.

Paul was asked to play a different type of role in Denver this season. He was a guy who was supposed to do the dirty work for them in a decreased amount of minutes. This obviously didn’t work out bad for them, but it’s just something to take note of.

As much of a presence that I think he could bring to this team, it just doesn’t compare to that of Danilo Gallinari, especially since Paul will be turning 36 years old in a couple months.

Before going into how Gallinari could help this Heat team, the only downfall with him over Paul is that he’s not as good of a defender. He can still hold his own against guys his size, but he struggles on switches.

But when you are sharing the floor with Bam Adebayo that shouldn’t be an issue.

The first thing that should be recognized with Danilo is his outstanding shooting abilities. He shot 40% from beyond the arc this season attempting 7 threes a game. But he won’t be getting targeted as much as a shooter if he’s sharing the court with one of the best shooters in the league, Duncan Robinson. And this duo of Danilo and Duncan could be something to watch, since Danilo has shown to be pretty good at dribble hand-offs.

He also plays much better when he’s not the number one scoring option on the floor, and with the weapons that Miami has on this roster, that shouldn’t be an issue.

Shooting isn’t his only elite attribute, since it’s known he is an efficient scorer at all three levels. He’s very capable of putting the ball on the floor to try and make a play.

It would be interesting to see Bam and him navigating the offense, since both of them are such craft play-makers.

There are so many aspects to Danilo’s game that fits Miami’s system, that I truly believe it’s a perfect match.

Although Miami needs a true big who can grab boards and protect the rim, it’ll be hard to say no to a guy like Danilo.

Paul Millsap, on the other hand, will be interesting to see how Miami perceives him at 36.

But either way, it just further proves that Miami has a lot of options.

Could Miami Still Be Eyeing DeMar DeRozan?

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There have been many talks in the past about DeMar DeRozan possibly taking his talents to South Beach. But is there still a possibility?

DeMar has a player option for the last year of his deal, which means he will stay with San Antonio since he will not be passing up on $27.7 Million.

But there’s still a chance Miami could be eyeing him in a trade package. There’s been talks about Miami packaging Kendrick Nunn and Kelly Olynyk to try and get a guy like Victor Oladipo, but what if they did the same with DeMar?

This could be a one year rental before he hits free agency in 2021, which Miami will be going hard at Giannis Antetokounmpo. But why not try to make another run at the NBA finals, with as much talent as possible.

Obviously there are cons to doing this. For one, you’re giving up a young project in Kendrick Nunn for DeMar for only one year. It’s very possible though since Pat Riley is constantly in win now mode.

Another con is that they’re not bringing in the same defensive specialist as they would with Victor Oladipo, but DeMar is so talented it may not matter.

Three-point shooting would not be ideal as well, since Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and DeMar DeRozan would be sharing the floor. But it may not matter since they have Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro, who can keep the shooting afloat alone.

There are also a bunch of pros to this as well. Adding a natural scorer like DeMar may not be the worst thing in the world. He averaged 22 points a game this past season, and is absolutely deadly from the mid-range. And since Miami’s three point shooting last season was off the charts, adding some offensive flavor may work out well.

Another reason that these talks have occurred this season is that Jimmy Butler is close with DeMar. And after watching what Jimmy had to do with the offense in the NBA finals, it would’ve been nice for DeMar to take some weight off of him.

Obviously, once again, this is all speculation and it may not be the best overall fit for this team, but there’s always a chance for Pat Riley to make a win now move since Jimmy Butler isn’t getting any younger.

Would a big three of Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and DeMar DeRozan make some noise in this upcoming season?

I believe so.

Is Serge Ibaka the Best Big Man Option For This Heat Team?

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There are a bunch of possible options for Miami to take a look at in free agency, when discussing possible big men to pair with Bam Adebayo. And the more you look into it, the more Serge Ibaka makes sense.

It truly seems as if all of Serge’s strengths are the things that can help Bam out. For one, Serge has a very respectable three ball, which gives Bam the spacing that he needs. He’s also a great offensive rebounder and shot blocker, which are two things that would be great to take a bit of weight off of Bam’s shoulders. And third, he’s a player that thrives with his back to the basket, which is obviously the opposite of what Bam likes to do.

Bam also fills a bunch of holes in Ibaka’s game, most importantly the play-making side of things. He hasn’t been the best play-maker throughout his career, and it’s clear with Bam that’s not an issue.

Serge Ibaka ran most of his offense through the pick and roll in Toronto this season, but he had some of his most inefficient numbers through that. And since Bam is one of the league’s best screen setters, that’s also not an issue.

Either way, let’s take a deeper look at how he helps Miami right now.

Spacing

The spacing on the floor is what stands out most when discussing Serge, since he can stretch the floor and allow Bam to run the offense from the elbow. One of the main reasons the starting lineup with Meyers Leonard worked so well was that the offense ran so fluid due to spacing. So imagine replacing Meyers Leonard with the same type of floor spacer, but who can rebound and defend.

The spacing does not just improve because Serge can shoot the three ball, it’s also because he has a great feel for the game. He knows how to find dead-spots in the offense, usually right outside of the paint on the baseline. This spacing once again means that Bam can continue to utilize his spots at the free thow line, with the option of dishing it low to Ibaka for a layup.

His touch around the rim allows him to utilize his floater in the paint area, which is something he usually goes to off of the pick and roll. All of these things just show that he can really help their offensive flow, which isn’t even the reason for adding him to the team.

Offensive Rebounding

Serge definitely brings rebounding on the defensive end as well, but the offensive rebounds stand out more. He’s one of the best bigs in the league with put-backs and activity around the rim. That’s also a game changer when thinking about the Los Angeles Lakers match-up in the finals when offensive rebounding was an issue. If you had Serge on the floor, that might’ve forced Dwight Howard to play more minutes, which would’ve been beneficiary for Miami.

One of the major keys as well when discussing rebounders is giving their team extra possessions. One way to do that is by being able to utilize tap outs. Serge is very crafty with doing that, which consequently allowed Toronto many extra possessions.

And most of the time when he would grab an offensive rebound or attempt a put-back, he’d end up at the free throw line. Getting opposing bigs in foul trouble could become crucial, due to the fact that Miami would have a major height advantage with these two talented bigs.

Post-Ups

As mentioned before, Bam does not feel comfortable with his back to the basket. And well, Serge Ibaka is a terrific post-player who likes to play physical. And it’s clear that Miami likes players who play physical. I believe Miami could run a lot of things through him in the post when Bam Adebayo is on the bench.

And as mentioned previously, he wasn’t great this year off the pick and roll. But something I noticed down the stretch of the season, is that he would dribble the ball once and get into post position every time after rolling to the basket. That’s because he has the ability to get to his spots that he feels comfortable. This led to the pick and roll becoming much more efficient.

This gives Miami’s play-makers a bunch of options between their bigs on pick and rolls. Bam can be the threat above the rim, while Serge can be the outside threat who can also get to his spot on the box.

Rim Protection

Serge may not be the same rim protector that he once was, but he’d still be a huge factor. Sometimes a rim protector shouldn’t be labeled as a guy who gets blocks, but instead a guy who forces misses around the rim. And that’s exactly what he does, since he’s very comfortable when defending around the rim. This also allows Bam to play even more perimeter defense, which is another positive aspect.

It would also be interesting to see how the zone defense would work with these two, because I believe that would be an absolute problem for opposing offenses. Bam continuing to run across the floor per usual when in the zone, but not having to worry about the paint as much. Serge also has the ability to be mobile when in the zone, which is something that could definitely be useful.

All of these things are just extra proponents of why this Serge Ibaka signing would be so great for Miami. Although there are a bunch of options, none of them seem to have the ability to fit in immediately on both sides of the floor. He’s clearly a Miami Heat type player, who knows what it takes to win.

If Miami could pull off this signing, this Heat team would be an absolute problem for opposing teams in the East this upcoming season.

Two Possible Miami Heat Draft Selections

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The NBA Draft process is clearly going to be different this year due to the unique circumstances, but it may benefit the Miami Heat.

Since Free Agency opens up before the draft, this allows them to try and make their moves, and they can fill holes in the draft afterward. And this is also predicated on Miami keeping the 20th pick in the draft, since it’s very possible that they trade it.

But if they do elect to keep their pick, it seems as if their two options are a defensive guard and a true big man.

If Miami grabs a big man in free agency, that means that they will go for the defensive guard, which I believe Tyrese Maxey will be at the top of that list.

He’s a great on-ball defender with a ton of speed and great at attacking the basket. It’s very clear that Miami could use a speedy defender to take on some of these guard match-ups, and he’s shown that he can be that guy. He also brings intensity on that end of the floor, which I’m sure has caught the eye of some people in the Miami Heat organization.

He’s also a very clever play-maker, especially when gets out onto the open floor. Usually when speedy guys at his age get onto the open floor, they’re not good decision makers. But, Tyrese has shown that he is, which is pretty impressive for a guy at his age.

And he’s just a natural scorer. He has shown throughout this past season that he’s very comfortable with the ball in his hands when trying to make a play. He can score at all three levels as well, which makes him very intriguing.

But, the only issue I see with this pick is that he’s not a true point guard. And since Miami has their future 2 guard in Tyler Herro, that position isn’t available. I do believe though that he has the ability to become a point guard if he came to Miami, since he already has the play-making down.

Another issue that people mention is that he’s a streaky scorer. While that may be partly true, that was what people said about Tyler Herro when he entered the draft, which is why I don’t believe that to be important. And he has very fluid shot mechanics, which is another reason this is not a huge issue.

And by the way, he’s a Kentucky Wildcat. That should tell you automatically that he will be a guy they’re looking at.

I do believe that if Tyrese Maxey is still on the board among the rest of the guards, Miami will take him. But what about if they need a big man?

There are a ton of big men in this draft class, especially late, but the only issue is that most of them are all undersized. And that’s exactly what Miami doesn’t need.

That is why I believe that Miami could make another unexpected pick and take Vernon Carey Jr.

And even Vernon Carey Jr is undersized for the center position, but his big frame allows him to play much bigger than 6’10.

He has a lot of the things that Miami needs in a big man. He plays very physical and thrives when he puts his back to the basket, due to his solid footwork in the post. Miami definitely needs a true big, which is why I believe he’s the guy that can absolutely develop in Miami’s system.

He’s a solid rebounder as well, mostly because he’s very crafty at boxing out opponents and getting position. This is another thing Miami could use, since they need a big that can rebound. He may not be the most elite rim protector, but his outstanding anticipation allows him to get blocks at the rim.

When people discuss Vernon Carey Jr’s downfall, it usually has something to do with his weight, since there’s questions about durability. Well, what better place to come to when trying to fix that, since they will get him in Miami Heat shape in no time.

He also has a bunch of ties to South Florida since that’s where he grew up and went to high school, which is another reason I know Miami has eyes on him.

Obviously there’s still uncertainty if Miami will elect to keep this 20th pick, but if they do, I believe that these two will be at the top of their list based off need.

A Kentucky Wildcat and a Duke Blue Devil at the top of Pat Riley’s list.

Well, that’s interesting.

A Possible Miami Heat Reunion: The Perfect Fit

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There are many guys on the Heat’s off-season radar right now, since they’re trying to find the right guy to add to this team to try and get this team back to the finals.

When discussing some possible trades, there’s been some big names that have come up including Victor Oladipo. But with that, you are probably going to have to give something up that you don’t want to, and there is uncertainty with his health. There’s also some concern about his actions in the playoffs when he lost to the Miami Heat.

Is he a Miami Heat type guy?

Well, there’s another guy that has proven he’s a Miami Heat type guy.

Josh Richardson was obviously included in a package to get Jimmy Butler last year, but it’s definitely not out of the question of a possible return.

I’ve mentioned before that Miami may not need a home-run pick-up this off-season, but instead the perfect fit. Josh is the perfect fit, since he fills the holes on this current team.

He’s a defensive first guard, who also is very capable of scoring the ball. If Miami could use a Josh Richardson to guard a Kemba Walker in a playoff series, that takes such a weight off of Jimmy Butler and others.

He also would not have to play the same role that he played while in Miami before. Instead of running the offense, he would be a facilitator on the wing who can hit the occasional three and attack the rim.

In Philadelphia, he was playing a role that doesn’t fit him well. For one, he was the only shooter on the floor with the starting lineup, which means that he had to carry the load of a role that he’s not extremely comfortable with.

But what would it take to get him to Miami?

Well, that’s not very clear, but it’s expected that it would include Kendrick Nunn, Kelly Olynyk, and the 20th pick. This is the trade that has been discussed with the other big names, but there’s no uncertainty in the player you are receiving when discussing Josh Richardson.

He also has a relationship with a bunch of guys on the roster still, especially Bam Adebayo.

The organization definitely hasn’t forgotten about Josh as well, since he was their second round steal in 2015.

Obviously this is all speculation, but it just seems there’s no better player to add to this team this off-season than Josh Richardson. Having Josh Richardson and Tyler Herro as your starting back-court seems pretty ideal, since Tyler can take the scoring reigns and Josh can take the biggest defensive assignment.

This pick-up makes the most sense for Miami, and also would be great for the individual success of Josh. If Miami could pull this trade off, it would basically mean that they traded Kendrick Nunn and Kelly Olynyk for Josh Richardson and Jimmy Butler, which would once again prove the genius front office of the Miami Heat.

A Long Shot Signing, But There’s Still A Shot

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There has been a lot of speculation about what Miami can do this off-season via trades or free agent signings. A lot of big names have come up, but is that exactly what Miami needs right now?

A Christian Wood signing may seem a little unrealistic, but it’s not out of the picture.

For one, there’s a low chance that Detroit will let Christian walk, since he’s still evolving and has great upside. He will also be searching for a 3-year deal, which is something that Miami won’t look to offer. But once again, if there’s anyone that could pull it off, it’s the Miami Heat.

It’s also pretty obvious that the only young stars who get recognition are those on winning teams. Even guys like Karl-Anthony Towns and Devin Booker don’t get the recognition they deserve since they are on such low seeded teams. But Miami could fix that for Christian, since it seems as if winning is a priority right now…

The only issue that Christian seems to have is that he’s a bit scrawny for the center position. But what better team than the Miami Heat to get your body in the best possible shape.

He shares some similarities with Bam Adebayo, since he is 6’11 who plays like a guard at times. He’s an energetic force on both sides of the floor, who uses his length to his advantage. He’s also a good screen setter and floor spacer. This could definitely take some weight off of Bam’s shoulders.

And now to the Miami Heat’s point of view. Miami could clearly use another big, especially since Bam had such a burden throughout this run since nobody could replicate some of the things he does. And well, Christian could do some of those things, even stretching the floor to shoot the three ball. That also means that Miami could insert both of them into the starting lineup, which also deepens Miami’s depth.

If Miami had a Christian Wood to come off the bench in game six of the NBA finals when Bam was struggling, I have no doubt that Miami would’ve pushed it to seven.

And his story seems a little familiar to a couple of Heat players…

Obviously this is all speculation, but he could just fill so many holes on this current Heat roster. And once again, Detroit letting him walk does not seem like a viable option for them.

Miami may not need a home-run signing right now. Instead a guy like Christian Wood may be the better fit.

The Game that Showcased the Miami Heat’s Full Potential

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59 seconds on the clock.

Down 117-111.

Trae Young just proclaimed the game over.

But was it?

The answer is no, because it’s never over when you have the amount of firepower that the Miami Heat have on this roster.

A Duncan Robinson and Jimmy Butler three sent the game to overtime, which was the beginning of a 22-0 run.

Bam Adebayo and Duncan Robinson exploded in overtime to give Miami a win.

Not only did this game show what this Heat team can do as a team, it was also a game that showcased many player’s personal abilities.

Bam Adebayo achieved his first career triple-double, while scoring 30 points for the first time in his career.

Jimmy Butler also put up a triple-double, grabbing a career high 18 rebounds.

Duncan Robinson scored a career high 34 points, knocking down 10 threes.

Kendrick Nunn also with a career high 36 points.

This was just the beginning of what these guys are truly capable of doing. This was the first game that Bam showed his full offensive package, and obviously he still has room to improve. It was also the moment that people realized he has the ability to take over a game if needed, which is what he did in overtime. And it’s also what he did throughout Miami’s playoff run.

That Jimmy Butler triple-double wasn’t really out of the norm, since he began to do that on a regular basis in the finals. Grabbing 18 rebounds though is impressive in itself, especially since he emphasized on rebounding so much against the Los Angeles Lakers.

This also put a stamp on the shooting excellence of Duncan Robinson, since it’s not everyday that a player makes 10 threes in a game. But since so many other guys were clicking on that night, it opened up the floor for him.

And of course Kendrick Nunn. This was when Kendrick was playing at Rookie of the Year levels, since his scoring abilities were off the charts. Obviously some of the lows throughout these playoffs made some people forget about this, but it’s clear he has the ability to do it. He began to show some glimpses in the Finals, but this game was the beginning of the increase in his value.

And this was on a night where Tyler Herro scored 0 points, which may be more surprising than any of the other player’s records.

It also showed that this team was full of a bunch of dogs, who are hungry to win. After seeing their will to win in this game approximately 10 months ago, it isn’t surprising what Miami did in the playoffs.

This team is full of young and evolving talent, which is why it’ll be very interesting how much they improve by the start of the 2021 season.

The Jimmy Butler-Paul George Debate is Over, But Now There’s a New One

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There has been an ongoing debate for a while now about Jimmy Butler and Paul George. Both are two-way guys that are top players in the league. But it seems as if one of those guys may have set themselves apart.

After the Los Angeles Clippers meltdown in the Western Conference Semi-Finals, where they blew a 3-1 lead against the Denver Nuggets, it was clear that Paul George would take some heat.

It also didn’t help his case that Jimmy Butler took his team on an incredible run to the finals, stepping up when it really mattered, which is what has continually been in question when discussing Paul George.

Now that this debate is pretty much settled, it seems as if there’s a new one to discuss.

Bam Adebayo has proved himself once again in this playoff run, and it seems as if there is more similarities between these two, than Jimmy Butler and Paul George.

Paul George averaged 2 more points in the playoffs this season, while Bam averaged 4 more rebounds. Both of these guys were second options on their respective teams, but only one stepped up when it really mattered.

And it’s obvious that Bam Adebayo is the textbook definition of a two-way guy, since his energy is contagious on both sides of the floor.

Paul George had a better regular season than Bam Adebayo statistically, but that’s clear since that is when Paul George does most of his damage.

Bam Adebayo, on the other hand, is a proven winner who will be a handful for opposing playoff match-ups for many years to come.

It’ll be interesting to see where the majority of people rank these guys in the top players in the league, but for it to be this close with Bam being 7 years younger than Paul is absolutely insane.

Jimmy Butler proved his placing among the top players in the league, and it’s only a matter of time for Bam to do so as well.

Top 5 Moments from the Miami Heat’s Playoff Run

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This Miami Heat playoff run was filled with historical performances and plays in some of the biggest games. Here are the five best moments from this stretch…

Number 5:

Bam Adebayo’s 32/14/5 in the Closeout Game Over Boston

The Miami Heat were up 3-2 in the series against the Boston Celtics, and had to play an intense game six. Many proclaimed this game as a must win for Miami, which seems ridiculous due to the amount of talent on this roster. But when Miami needed a big game, Bam Adebayo showed up big. His stat-line in this closeout win is clearly impressive, putting up 32 points, 14 rebounds, and 5 assists, but that doesn’t even explain what he did. He took over down the stretch of that game, proving that he can be the best player on the floor when he wants to be. A huge And-1 late in the fourth quarter gave Miami a huge boost to send them to the finals, which was an outstanding performance from Bam.

Number 4:

Jimmy Butler Game Winning Free Throws Over Milwaukee

The Miami Heat faced off against the Milwaukee Bucks in game two of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals, which was a wild finish. The game was tied with four seconds left, and Jimmy Butler got fouled on a baseline jump-shot with zero seconds on the clock. And who better to put on the line than the cool, calm, and collected Jimmy Butler, which led to him sinking both of them to go up 2-0. Not only was this an amazing play for Jimmy Butler, it was an insane finish from a viewers perspective. This was a huge moment in the series, which led to Miami winning in five.

Number 3:

Tyler Herro’s 37 Point Game Against Boston

This absolutely amazing game from Tyler Herro was impressive for a couple of reasons. For one, he’s 20 years old taking over a game completely, that involves Kemba Walker and Jayson Tatum. Nobody could stop or match Tyler Herro’s offensive play, especially since he was doing it from everywhere on the floor. Another reason it was so impressive was that he did it so efficiently. He shot 14 for 21 from the field and 5 for 10 from three. It’s not everyday that a rookie scores 37 points in an Eastern Conference Finals game, which is why it’s the third best play of the postseason.

Number 2:

Jimmy Butler’s 40 Point Triple-Double in Finals

This game was just a clear representation of who Jimmy Butler is. A winner. He showed that he can play a certain way throughout the entire season, but turn it on when need be. For starters, scoring 40 points along with 11 rebounds and 13 assists in a finals game is absolutely insane. But what made it more special was that he did it without his co-pilots, in Bam Adebayo and Goran Dragic. He also had to do it against two of the five best players in the world. This was a perfect example of putting a team on your back to try and get a win. This game also gave Jimmy Butler the respect from national people that everyone else has known for a while now.

Number 1:

Bam Adebayo’s Game Saving Block On Jayson Tatum

And no surprise here, one of greatest defensive plays in Miami Heat postseason history, which there’s a debate it could be number one. Just to focus on the play itself, a block to win a game is outstanding in itself. But doing it on a dunk attempt, which you use your off hand is on another level. And then to think of the stage that it’s on. Not many people have the ability to make that type of play physically, but Bam Adebayo is just a freak of nature. This block gave Miami a 1-0 lead in the series, and also gave Bam the notoriety that is much deserved. Some even began to talk about Bam as a rim protector, but clearly he is much more than that. This play is clearly the number one play of Miami’s hisorical playoff run.