How Could Miami Maximize Spacing if DeMar DeRozan was Acquired?

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After some in Five Reasons Sports have reported that Miami’s trying to figure out a way to reunite DeMar DeRozan with Kyle Lowry in Miami, it raised a question about the potential fit.

On a team with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, the next pieces should be able to stretch the floor a bit to maximize spacing for this group, which is basically where I stood for a long period of time. But when a player of DeRozan’s caliber comes available in Butler’s window, that’s a hard player to pass up, and I honestly believe Erik Spoelstra can make it work.

So, since I’ve discussed individual players so frequently in the past, let’s dive into something a little bit different in this one. How can Miami make that type of unit work on the offensive end with three guys who can’t truly shoot the 3 ball?

One-On-One Frenzy

For starters, DeRozan is no Ben Simmons when it comes to the way that he’s guarded from an offensive standpoint. His overall scoring abilities are so deadly, that teams are forced to play up on him out on the perimeter, which makes things much more interesting.

That means when he’s the ball-handler in certain sets, the only guy to mainly worry about is Butler. Adebayo stationed in the dunker spot or the elbow, Lowry on the wing, and the 4 that will be added in the corner. The reason I gave two options for Adebayo is because it allows them to use Butler loosely.

If they put Adebayo on the elbow as a screener, Butler can be used in the dunker spot in certain possessions to roam the baseline a bit, which actually sounds pretty intriguing with the other creators on the floor.

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Back to DeRozan, though, teams will continue to defend him by going under screens constantly. They’re going to press up, but they will duck under inside the arc to cut off any chance at a hard drive.

Looking at the clip above, this is what it would look like essentially. A screen for DeRozan with the defender going under, as he immediately pulls up for the easy mid-range. The secondary options would be a dump-off to Adebayo, which allows him to play-make from mid-court. Above, you can see the wing defender edging over in the “Lowry” spot, which is why a major key to offensive success would be to run things through DeRozan frequently at the top of the key.

He’s an absolute problem in one-on-one situations in isolation, but the question is if there’s enough outside gravity to eliminate constant doubles, which I’ll touch on down the line.

Occupying Post Touches

I truly believe many are thinking about this type of stuff way too generally when talking about “spacing.” DeRozan is a guy that loves to occupy the post with his tough fadeaways and creative moves to get to the basket, which fits well with Miami’s play-style.

Looking at the play above, the point many would argue is that there’s three guys on the perimeter on this possession, which wouldn’t be possible with that Miami lineup. Well, that is wrong.

Help-side defenders on the wing will always duck down to the nail in these situations, no matter if that guy is Lowry or Butler on that right wing. There seems to be this perception that just because Butler stations himself in that area, defenders can just freelance, which is entirely inaccurate.

DeRozan is a guy that can create his own shot on these post touches, but can also play-make over the top of guys with his lengthy build. If a defense was to send an instinctive double in that state of mind, that ball would be relocating to either Adebayo or Butler, which leads to a rotational frenzy with their type of play-making.

Yes, I definitely believe a guy who has the three-ball unlocked makes things much easier in the offense, but twenty-two point per game scorers shouldn’t just be overlooked due to that primary strength. If anybody can make it work, it’s Erik Spoelstra, and as seen above, I don’t believe it will be as complicated as some may think.

The Bam Adebayo Element

To expand on those previous points, I want to give a quick example to the way Adebayo could benefit from this “lack of spacing.” If they give DeRozan these type of isolations on the baseline, there will be a quick double from the top of the key.

Now, he wouldn’t have as much room to operate as he did here, since Adebayo would probably be in the Patty Mills spot, except a few feet forward above the free throw line. The thing about that is DeRozan is very used to that type of play-style by shooting in tight windows in a crowded half-court.

The other way these isos could work is with Lowry above the break, forcing the defense to double from the weakside, meaning a Butler or Adebayo one dribble mid-range pull-up would be a go-to in the offense.

Back to the original point with Adebayo on the elbow, it would look similar to the one above where the defender helps down. That would mean he would have to expand on the leaps he made last year by thriving on the 4 on 3 opportunities. He saw plenty of them in the high pick and roll last year, but this would be much more simple on the short roll.

And if there’s anything I’ve noticed about Adebayo since joining Team USA, he has become a master adjuster in different systems, and that is a point to harp on.

Jimmy Butler Off the Catch

While you got a look at how Adebayo could be used with DeRozan as the ball-handler in certain sets, Butler feels to be the bigger question. But once again, it may be much simpler than many are making it out to be.

Butler has thrived off the catch for some time now, but the Heat’s lack of play-making guards didn’t really put him in those type of positions.

Looking at the play above, this is what many imagine would be the defensive stance when DeRozan is driving and Butler is in a spot-up role in the corner. Naz Reid ducks down to the block, basically daring DeRozan to kick it out.

As Trey Lyles demonstrated here, sprinting toward the basket off the catch is the number one option, and we all know what Butler is capable of on those hard drives.

Finally, it must be stated that this is a very small sample size of plays that I’m highlighting. These guys would be placed into a ton of different spots, but the point is that it can work when DeRozan is the ball-handler around the other primary pieces.

The issue over the last few years has been Miami had the spacing, but lacked options. In this scenario, they would lack spacing, but have options. And the one thing I can say about that is spacing is much easier to find than offensive options.

 

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What to know before choosing your first gambling website?

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Even though some of the leading gambling websites have more than 20 years of experience, many old-school bettors didn’t know about them until recently. Ever since smartphones and tablets became easily accessible, the iGaming industry became a lot more popular than before. That’s why even punters who used to visit land-based betting shops decided to test their luck.

 

Online betting is fun, but you may get confused if you don’t know what you are doing. Let’s go through some of the basic things you should be familiar with before you start punting.

 

There are different types of betting websites

 

The first thing that you should know is that there are various gambling websites that you can choose from. Once you read this very detailed betting guide by efirbet, you will see that some gambling operators focus on sports, whereas others provide users with casino games, virtual sports, and even poker clients.

 

Luckily, you can find many gambling platforms that provide their clients with multiple betting sections. Needless to say, most people prefer using those operators’ services because they can have a fully-fledged betting experience without the need to use various platforms.

 

Each gambling website offers different features

 

Most online bookmakers will allow you to place a bet on every popular sport in the world, which is great. However, this doesn’t mean that you should open an account on the first gambling site you find because it may not have enough features.

 

Unlike land-based betting shops where you could only watch some of the games in real-time, most gambling operators have way more features. For example, some brands will allow you to settle your bet and claim your winnings whenever you want to. In some cases, you could also change specific parameters of your bet by adding different markets.

 

In order for a bookie to operate in your jurisdiction, it needs to have a license

 

Once you go through the complete Efirbet betting guide and start reading some of the reviews, pay special attention to the part where the writers discuss the security features. Like land-based betting shops, online bookies also need a permit to operate within a given jurisdiction. As you can imagine, it is not recommended to place bets on a platform that is not regulated because you may have problems with your local authorities.

 

In most cases, you will have the chance to talk to the customer support department

 

Some of the most prominent gambling operators decided to create their own customer support departments. Thanks to options like live chat and email, you can ask any kinds of questions, and the support agents will do everything they can to provide you with an answer.

 

You will have to provide personal information while creating an account

 

To use the things that a given betting website has to offer, you need to create an account. Besides providing a username and password, you also have to enter some other information, such as your date of birth, address, first/last name, and more.

 

5RSN Exclusive: Latest Miami Heat Free Agency Info

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As we’re approaching the 24 hour mark until free agency begins, it has become a very complicated time for the Miami Heat. With the team option decisions looming, it was reported by Adrian Wojnarowski that the Heat declined Andre Iguodala’s team option, while the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson recently reported it was not yet official by Miami.

It was officially reported, though, that Miami opted into Goran Dragic’s contract worth $19.4 Million, which all indications point to that being used in a possible trade deal as they work over the cap.

The main place that Dragic’s name will come into play is with the Toronto Raptors in Miami’s continued pursuit of Kyle Lowry. The latest from Five Reasons Sports is that Lowry’s preference remains the same to play in Miami with Jimmy Butler, who he shares a close relationship with.

Adam Borai continued on this reporting, saying that “only a major overpay could stunt” a move for Lowry to end up in Miami. But with so many moving parts, it’s clear that nothing is set in stone.

Speaking of those moving parts, another name that has been thrown into the latest discussions around the Miami Heat’s next moves is Demar DeRozan, as Five Reasons Sports released here…

While many harp on Lowry’s relationship with Butler, there’s no doubt that he wouldn’t look in other directions if his closest friend, DeRozan, lands in the exact spot that he’s eyeing. As stated above, this type of deal would be quite complicated from a general sense, but they’re currently looking into things further.

Questions continue to fly. Would that spacing work? Would that be enough? It’s important to have some perspective on the situation, and take into account the big picture outcome that is a possibility. There’s still so much unknown about what the final form would look like in that scenario, and there’s still plenty of other ways that they can go about this stuff.

This will continued to be updated as more information is available to report….

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Dolphins training camp

Miami Dolphins Training Camp Notes: Day 4 – Linebackers, big plays, Albert Wilson, more

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As the Miami Dolphins training camp welcomed fans back, debuting their brand new facility, the audience was treated to a performance which saw both sides of the ball make plays. Now, here are some of the big highlights to take away from Day 4 of training camp.

Linebackers

The linebacker corps for the Miami Dolphins is proving to be incredible facing off against the offensive line. Now, it remains to be seen if this will remain the case when the pads come on, presumably on Tuesday, but for now it seems like Miami’s pass rush is a lot better than anyone assumes. Brennan Scarlett, Shaquem Griffin, Jerome Baker, Vince Biegel, even Calvin Munson. All of these linebackers made at least one notable appearance during Saturday’s practice.

It should be noted that Jaelen Phillips was held out of practice due to a minor injury. So his name being omitted is not a cause for alarm. But the linebacker spot is going to be loaded, particularly with Scarlett making a serious push. Of all the linebackers who practiced today, Scarlett made more plays than any of them. If that continues, Brian Flores will have some seriously difficult decisions to make.

Christian Wilkins

Speaking of players standing out above the crowd. Former first round pick Christian Wilkins spent most of his afternoon playing against the second team unit. Now, this is not a detriment towards Wilkins. If anything, it just shows what kind of depth is available along the defensive line that Wilkins is relegated to second team duty. To really emphasize the mismatch, there were several occasions throughout the day where Wilkins had to either be double teamed, or he burst through the offensive line the moment the ball was snapped.

There’s no question Wilkins is more than good enough to play with the starters, and he’s certainly a lock to make the team. All this proves is that the defensive line will almost always be fresh, barring an outbreak of injuries.

Albert Wilson

Miami Dolphins training camp is making one thing very apparent. Albert Wilson is still an excellent wide receiver in the NFL, and he’s proving it beyond the shadow of a doubt in training camp right now. He and Tua Tagovailoa are building a remarkable rapport, connecting on huge plays throughout the last several days, including today. This time, it was a 63-yard touchdown on a slant that was threaded between two defenders, one of which was Byron Jones. Not only that, he made a diving catch in the endzone during goal line drills to bail Tagovailoa out of trouble.

If there was any question as to whether or not Wilson was going to make the roster, it’s rapidly disappearing. No other wide receiver on the entire team has made as much of an impact as Wilson so far. It’s not even close. Even Tagovailoa’s Alabama teammate, Jaylen Waddle, has not proven to be so effective at navigating the defense. Wilson is always open and making big catches. If they continue building chemistry at this rate, Wilson may have himself a career year. That will undoubtedly lead to a big contract in the offseason.

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Big plays galore

The big plays did not stop with Wilson. All day long, on both sides of the ball, plays were made that if they were in-game, would turn the tide instantly. Going back to Brennan Scarlett, not only was he harassing Tagovailoa all day long, but he even forced a fumble out of Lynn Bowden Jr.

Zach Sieler dominated Robert Hunt and got a sack against Tagovailoa almost as soon as the ball was snapped. He also got in the way of a lot of runs throughout the afternoon.

Jakeem Grant leaped up and made a turnaround catch in midair in tight coverage, continuing from yesterday’s stellar performance.

Cornerback Terrell Bonds intercepted Reid Sinnett in the endzone, and then Jamal Perry did the same thing during the same drill against Tagovailoa.

Later, Tagovailoa weaved through pressure, kept his eyes downfield, and lobbed it up to Adam Shaheen who caught the jump ball in midair for a big gain.

All this to say, the Miami Dolphins are certainly going to be an exciting team to watch in 2021.

Michael Palardy

One final note before wrapping up these Miami Dolphins training camp notes. The team seems to have made a huge upgrade at punter. With Matt Haack now in Buffalo, Michael Palardy has come in and shown an incredible ability to punt the ball exactly where it needs to be for the perfect trajectory.

Gone are the days of 50/50 chances of either a booming punt or a shanked punt. Palardy is offering something the Miami Dolphins haven’t had for quite some time. Consistency.

Practice MVP: Albert Wilson

Struggled: Noah Igbinoghene

Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for seven years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung

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A look at the Miami Dolphins ratings in Madden 22

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Yesterday, EA Sports released their player and team ratings for the upcoming installment of Madden. Here’s everything we learned about our beloved Miami Dolphins in Madden 22.

Now let me first start by saying, Madden is a flawed game. But we all have flaws, and despite its issues, most of us still decide to give the game a chance every year. This year will be no different for me, especially considering the Miami Dolphins have one of the most explosive teams in, well, forever? Of course, the game is also #good, but unless you played the Next-Gen version AND had the opportunity to play the beta, you probably still won’t believe me until next month.

Nevertheless, with a good game and a good Miami Dolphins team that just finished 10-6, certainly, the ratings would reflect this. WRONG.

Brian Flores borderline ELITE defense received a 79. Miami’s offense, despite all of its speed and young weapons, is rated a 70.

The Miami Dolphins official team rating is 79 overall. 

Personally, I think the overall rating is close. Especially after you see what some of the other teams are rated. But I still expected more, especially after all the new additions the team made this offseason. For those of you upset, don’t fret; EA will update their ratings throughout the season. So, if the Dolphins are the team we think they are. Their overall rating will skyrocket sooner than later. Then again, maybe it won’t.

But enough about the team ratings, most of you want to know how the Miami Dolphins roster looks compared to the other 31 NFL teams. I won’t sit here and show you every rating from every team. If you’re interested in that, you can click HERE.

Here’s a look at the Miami Dolphins player ratings from Madden 22.

Some of the most noticeable snubs (IMO) are Jerome Baker (78), Raekwon Davis (74), Zach Sieler (68), Austin Jackson (65), and of course, poor Blake Ferguson (27), who Madden lists as a tight end rather than adding a long-snapper position.

What are your thoughts on the Miami Dolphins team rating? Which player ratings are too low? Too high? Will you be buying this year’s game? Let us know in the comments section below!

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Xavien Howard reported to Miami Dolphins training camp but his contract demands remain unresolved.

Quick Take: Time to Move on from Xavien Howard?

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Over the past few days, Xavien Howard has made it widely known that he wants a trade away from the Miami Dolphins. Howard feels underpaid and under-appreciated by the Miami Dolphins.

So should Miami keep him or should they trade him?

 

Reasons to keep Xavien Howard:

 

  1. He was in the DPOY race

Howard was known as a top candidate for the DPOY award. Although Aaron Donald and TJ Watt beat him out as the top 2 contenders, Howard was right there with the best defenders in the league last NFL season.

 

2. If Howard leaves, Miami is left with a huge hole at cornerback

Miami would be left with Byron Jones, Jason McCourty, and either Nik Needham or Noah Igbinoghene. And let’s just say Needham and Igbinoghene aren’t the best options to play a slot corner spot for us.

3. Howard makes Miami a more fun team to watch

He led the league with interceptions and also got 8 more interceptions than the next best on the team. From one handed interceptions, to acrobatic plays, he brings a new level of fun to the game.

 

*****

Reasons to Trade Howard away:

  1. Howard is overrated

Xavien Howard just had the highest-performing year of his life. In my opinion, I see no world where Howard can have the same season he just had. He will lose trade value if he isn’t gone by the end of this year.

2. A Howard trade could bring another star to Miami

Getting rid of Howard could bring in names like Stephon Gilmore or even Deshaun Watson. Howard is regarded as one of the best cornerbacks in the league, and could easily get the Dolphins more star-level talent if given away.

3. Howard could hold out from playing if he’s kept on the team

If Howard stays, he may decide not to play this season, and we will lose a player without getting anything back. He really wants a bigger contract, and Miami hasn’t provided that for him, which could lead to a season-long holdout.

 

*****

Final Analysis:

I think The Miami Dolphins should trade Xavien Howard. Whether it’s a deal for Deshaun Watson, draft picks, or another star, Miami doesn’t need the negative energy he now brings to the team.

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Miami Hurricanes

Miami Hurricanes: Trequon Fegans commitment adds to ’22 secondary

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Friday, the good momentum continued on the recruiting trail for the Miami Hurricanes. 2022 four-star cornerback Trequon Fegans committed to Miami.

Feagans the 11th overall corner in his class, and the fourth overall player in his class from the state of Alabama per the 247Sports Composite Rankings. He was recruited by Demarcus Van Dyke and Travaris Robinson. Van Dyke has been on a roll in recruiting over the past couple of weeks, and this was another big get for him and the rest of the staff.

Feagans also had offers on the table from South Carolina, Alabama, and Georgia. Most recently, he took an official visit to South Carolina on June 18. Luckily, Miami was able to snag him.

What can he bring to Miami Hurricanes?

This is a huge get for Miami. Measuring in at six-foot-two, he brings another lengthy corner to the position. In terms of what he brings on the field, he is a very solid cover corner. In addition, he has very good vision. As soon as the play develops, he is able to track where the ball is with relative ease. The combination of those two things could give Miami the ability to take away one side of the field defensively.

In the passing game, he matches up well with outside wide receivers. As soon as the ball is snapped, he stays stride-for-stride with his man, and is able to find the ball and make a play. He has versatility in the sense that he can come down and defend the run as well as the pass. Those instincts that he has in the passing game translate well to the running game.

Miami has a solid group of corners for the 2022 class. This class is absolutely stacked. In past years, corner was a position that got ignored in recruiting. That is not the case with the 2022 class. Now, the trick is going to be development. Can Miami get the job done in that area? Only time will tell.

With this commitment, the Hurricanes class ranks 58th overall nationally and 12th in the ACC per the 247sports Team Rankings. This class is getting deeper by the day.

The Miami Hurricanes now have an embarrassment of riches in the secondary. It will be intriguing to see how much of an impact Feagans makes. He could be a staple of Miami’s future defense in the coming years.

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Miami Dolphins Camp Notes Day 3 (Defensive Day, Brissett, Grant, more)

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A muggy friday, moved slowly, as the team was heavy into Offensive, Defensive, and Special Teams install. Then some fireworks, and a dominant performance from one side of the ball.

Tua Tagovailoa. This was a decent encore to what was a great day on Thursday. Tua Tagovailoa continues to show great command of the offense, and is still showing an aggressiveness that has only grown the past few days. His best throws of the day came early in some 6v8 where he hit Jaylen Waddle on a deep crosser for a nice gain, and then followed that up with a go route that Jakeem Grant pulled down for a big gainer. His Red Zone work was pretty strong to start, till the defense came on late in practice. Later on in 11v11, Tua began to feel some pressure and the offense sputtered inside the 20 yard line.

Jacoby Brissett. This was not a good day for the backup QB and his unit. At one point, he had gone 6 consecutive pass plays without a completion, gave up several sacks, had some throwaways, and then sailed a couple more into harms way. Jacoby Brissett was by no means “good” on this day, but I believe the defense also deserves credit. It has been a strong camp to start for Brissett, this was just a bad patch. I look forward to seeing how he adjusts.

Nik Needham. Always on the spot. Playing every cornerback position, Nik Needham got his hands on several footballs. While he did not post a turnover, he was noticeable in coverage, and the versatility he showed, displays the depth this secondary has. This team (even with Xavien Howard out) has a strength in this secondary. By a crude count, I had Nik Needham targeted 5 times, allowing one reception of less than 10 yards.

Brandon Jones. Seems to have an expanded role. While he has racked up snaps on defense, Brandon Jones also shows up on several special teams units, and really logged the mileage in this practice. While the Miami Dolphins/NFL don’t want the media to reveal specifics on how players are being used, I can assure you, he is seeing expanded action since last year.

Jakeem Grant. This was a big day for Jakeem. Grant hauled in a go route early in practice, then showed up once again on a toe tapping TD in the back of the end zone. After a couple of days, where he was essentially invisible, Jakeem Grant took full advantage of the reps afforded to him today. The most impressive route run, was a rep where he got good depth on a skinny post, on what was a RPO, and managed to make the grab in traffic for a nice gain. Jakeem showed great concentration on this day, logging no drops, and several big plays.

Practice MVP: Jakeem Grant/Defensive Secondary
Struggled: Jacoby Brissett

Alfredo Arteaga (@Alf_Arteaga) is one-third of the trio that does the Three Yards Per Carry (@3YardsPerCarry) podcast.

Full 7 in 1 Breakdown on Miami Heat Undrafted Signings

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Well, as I previewed throughout the week, the Heat’s impact on draft night was not going to come between picks 1 and 60. It was actually in the undrafted market where they can basically get a copy and pasted version of the same play-style to move forward with.

I’ve mentioned prior to the NBA draft that Miami will be looking at players with two attributes: two-way players and NBA ready guys. And they got just that.

If you’re looking for full breakdowns on all 7 of the Miami Heat’s undrafted additions, you’ve come to the right place. So, let’s hop right into what each of these guys can bring to the table…

DeJon Jerreau

Lock-Down Defense

When I say Miami needed two-way guys to fall out of this draft, it mostly pointed toward the guard position with the Heat’s recent point of attack struggles.

Dejon “Deeky” Jerreau can hit the passing lanes pretty well, bouncy enough to attain highlight blocks like the one above, and more importantly, he can shut-down most guards one-on-one. His long wingspan means he can force major disruption on the perimeter guarding ball-handlers, and combining that with his quick feet make a pretty intriguing defender.

One of his biggest strengths on that end, in my opinion, is altering jump-shots, which ties back to the wing-span point. When looking at the clips above, you can see that he doesn’t allow other to create any separation in the half-court. Even if a move is made, he has great recovery speed to bounce back for a perfect contest.

We’ve seen this story before with completely dominant young defenders, but how does his offense look as a secondary strength?

Pick and Roll Reader/Kick-Out Artist

One thing to mention about about his game is that he has great size for his position. Being a 6’5 point guard gives him some advantages in certain departments, and one of those departments is as a passer.

The ability to survey the floor over smaller guards is always a great attribute, but it’s his passing IQ that seems to be the part to harp on. He’s an outstanding pick and roll facilitator, and shows to do a pretty good job of reading the different coverages thrown at him. He is very patient in that area, which is always good to see with guys his age.

Knowing when to make the pocket pass or when to make the over-head dish is pretty impressive, but his downhill pressure really maximized his play-making throughout his college career. His drives can really bend a defense, which led to him basically living off the kick-outs to shooters, as he is able to make difficult passes on the move.

As you can tell, the Heat’s undrafted pick-ups are strong in the areas that the team is weak in. That isn’t a coincidence.

Mid-Range Creator/Go-To Floater

Jerreau’s scoring inside the arc is very interesting to me. For one, the floater is his go-to move in his offensive package, and it allowed him to get creative with different bank shot angles in awkward positions. The thing about that is those weren’t awkward positions for Jerreau.

As seen above, he can take guys to the rim off the dribble, before springing up into the floater which basically eliminates any type of contest from defending guards. Aside from that unique trait, his overall mid-range jumper looks surprisingly smooth.

Although I’ll touch on his deep ball next, the shots from the elbow and inward look much more pure than beyond the arc. As stated on the defensive end, he has some bounce to him in a very gerneral sense, which means he can get over the top of his defenders inside the arc with a normal jumper.

Of course the jumper can always be tweaked slightly, but those skills that you see before he fires away can’t be taught.

A Capable Outside Shot

After having a rough shooting season in his Junior year, shooting 18% from three, he bounced back to the 34% mark, but there’s still improvements to be made. He is more than capable of knocking down the open three, but in an NBA setting, I’m not very sure that the outside shot will be a sticking point in his offensive game.

We’ve seen this many times in the past, where guys can shoot the three ball in college, but the slow wind up gets them in trouble at the next level. The good thing about that is it can be tweaked more than any other attribute in the game of basketball, especially in a Miami Heat system.

The issue with certain guys in the past has been the non-existing offensive game at all, but Jerreau clearly has that and more. I see him much more as a mid-range type player, but the development over time can definitely make his all-around skill-set much more interesting.

Javonte Smart

3 Level Scoring

While guys like Jerreau struggle in minor spots of the half-court, Javonte Smart is the offensive point guard that can be a valuable three-level scorer in the future.

He’s coming off a season where he shot 40% from three on 6 attempts, which makes you think how this guy made it out of the second round. Although he’s a point guard, he got plenty of off-ball reps which truly proved to be his strong suit at times. In a motion type offense, I believe he can be a pretty effective player in that role with a slightly quicker trigger.

Aside from that, he’s most known as an on the ball scorer, who can take guys off the dribble to get to his spots from deep. That off the dribble scoring mentality made him a deadly threat in the high pick and roll, since giving him room to navigate is all he needed to be effective.

The rim pressure is mostly generated by his physicality and size on drives. Yes, he loves to sprinkle in some euro steps and up and unders, but his build truly screams bullying others on the attack. And well, that also screams Miami Heat.

Another Go-To Floater Showcases a Theme

As I pointed out earlier, there’s a specific theme with these pick-ups. For one, they all share the two-way play-style, they’re all positional needs on the current roster, and now, they all have the same type of offensive focus.

Smart is another who one of those players that bases his game around the gravity of his floater when plowing downhill. As seen above, he can use both hands in that space, meaning it puts opposing defenders in a weird spot to go up and try to get a block.

He uses the pump-fake effectively and knows how to react quickly to flow right into that go-to floater. This may not seem like a big deal, but it is in the grand scheme of things. This says a lot about the type of player that he is: he’s just solid.

High Floor

The Heat have been going after guys with high ceilings in every draft, but I had a feeling that would end in this undrafted search. In this win-now time frame, they’re going to see if they can find some hidden gems to possibly make an impact in the near future.

And Smart fits that criteria, since he has a very high floor in my opinion. When I say that he has a high floor, I mean that he doesn’t have any true holes in his game that should be worrisome, leading to a gradual improvement to be impactful in this league. A guy who can shoot the three ball, score in the paint, facilitate the offense, and defend aren’t very normal in this capacity in the big picture, which is why Miami waited for these player types to fall.

I can see Smart actually filling a roster spot if his development continues, but I think the biggest reason for that is he has a certain switch that can turn into a complete “scoring mode.” And that would be something that would appeal to the Heat.

DJ Stewart

Elbow Specialist=High Release Point

Filling the hole of a point guard is one thing, but filling the need of a pure scorer is another. It’s something else the Miami Heat need on their actual roster next season, and that is what DJ Stewart does. He’s a bucket getter.

One of the primary things to note is that he isn’t your normal scorer coming out of college, due to him actually being pretty unique offensively. Unlike many other scoring guards, he is most comfortable setting up in the mid-range. Let me repeat, not flowing into the mid-range, but setting up in that spot.

In a Bam Adebayo way, he sometimes awaits the insertion into the elbow, which allows him to go to work in a major area of strength. Looking at the clips above, you can see that he’s very confident in getting to that spot on the floor out of the pick and roll, but what makes it so deadly is his release point.

Yes, this is a different group of players he’s playing against, but the peak of his jumper tells you all you need to know about his scoring ability. Nothing ever looks forced. He just does what he does and gets buckets.

Crafty Finisher/Tight Handle

Aside from mid-range assertiveness, the downhill stuff really came as a surprise. The reason is that he has a very tight handle when navigating certain sets, which takes his skill-set to the next level in an NBA environment.

Looking at the plays above, transition offense definitely allows him to be free with his scoring at the rim, but the set plays in the other clips make him even more interesting. He plays at his own pace, which is a phrase that is used way too freely in this league, but it really fits his scoring display.

And by the way, I know you guys saw some of those floaters mixed in there for the third straight player pick-up.

While a lot of the Heat’s guys have shared the same traits positionally and through play-style, I’d say Stewart is the most different one of the bunch, and I actually believe he has the most upside.

Fluid Motion from Deep

The other areas of his game stand-out the most, but don’t let that distract you from his smooth jumper from deep. Stewart shot 34% from three on a little under 5 attempts a game, but a lot of this has to do with role.

The reason I mentioned I believe his upside is higher than others is due to his overall efficiency being a harping point. He will probably be a guy that just gets his shots up to try and score, but if the deep ball consistency is changed slightly, he could come out as the most beneficial guy.

But for now, that will be something to keep an eye on. Will he try and focus on that spot-up shooting in Summer League games or will he get to his strengths inside the arc with second level scoring?

AJ Lawson

All-Around Defender

AJ Lawson was a guy that I wrote about as an undrafted possibility before the draft, and it actually ended up working out. I’ve touched on plenty of guys so far that are talented defenders, but Lawson in particular does it in a different way.

He’s much more of an off-ball type guy, who can navigate screens and jump into passing lanes for transition offense. He has pretty good length which makes me think the on-ball stuff to alter shots could be a positive note, but there’s nothing like the skills in the clips above.

Chasing guys off back screens to force turnovers for opposing ball-handlers, and fronting guys on the wing so they can’t flow into their offensive sets. There are many more talented defenders on this list, but in terms of IQ on that end of the floor, Lawson is pretty high up on that list.

Spot-Up Shooter

For some time, Lawson wasn’t perceived as much of an offensive threat to progress to the next level. Of course 13 points a game in your freshman and sophomore year isn’t bad, but the role he was in held him back.

But this past season gave him a little more offensive freedom, which meant much more offensive effectiveness. He shot 35% from deep on 8 attempts a game, which is a complete turnaround from the years prior. I can definitely see him become a corner spot-up guy who can also become a defensive staple, but some signs show he can be more than that in a long-term sense.

Although he’s lengthy, he has a pretty skinny build which may restrict some things he can do on the offensive end. If some of that deep ball shooting can stay consistent with his Junior season, then he can actually make an impact in that 3 and D role with the Summer League unit.

Off-Screen Scoring

If there was a specific offensive thing to harp on, it’s his scoring in set plays with multiple stagger screens to get him on the move. News flash: that fits the Miami Heat’s play-style to a tee.

Looking at the clips above, double off-ball screens into a curl for an elbow jumper is a sweet spot for him, or down-screens that get him flying at the basket in space. Other than the shooting stuff, which will be implemented in these set plays, this is where I see his immediate role moving forward.

He’s a pretty versatile wing that can be plugged into different spots, which is why it made sense to me that Miami would take a look at him. Even though I feel he’s more project than immediate impact, there’s a chance he can translate well in this type of environment.

RJ Nembhard

Explosiveness and Flashiness 

RJ Nembhard is a pretty interesting name to link to the Miami Heat, not for his style of play like the others, but his overall competitiveness and intensity. He’s a Heat guy.

While I’ll touch on his offensive staple next, taking a look at the clips above showcase his skill of pure explosiveness and athleticism. He’s very elusive out of the high pick and roll, meaning he can slip through certain pockets to explode toward the rim. But what bends the defense the most is his play-making in that space.

Seeing the plays sprinkled in above, he can make certain passes that other guys just can’t. He shows me more flashiness than set point guard, but that may be what Miami could use off the bench in some capacity. Guys who are pure talents as play-makers and can get you out and running with a ton of energy just makes a lot of sense for this team.

Offense=Driving, Driving, and More Driving

His offensive game isn’t very complicated. To go along with that quick first step and slippery probing dribble on the attack, plowing to the rim strongly is his primary way to score the basketball.

He can use both hands around the rim with creative scoop shots to avoid contact, but he also mixes in plenty of physicality to embrace contact and finish at the rim. His instincts and touch around the basket is something many players wish they had, but once again, a lot of his style of play tells me more long-term development.

Can he run an offense in Summer League and make an impact? Definitely, but it comes down to the minor improvements he makes as a NBA ready prospect over the course of the next few weeks, or possibly the work he’s put in since the end of the season. Combining this ability with a go-to outside the paint shot would definitely catch the eye of the Heat.

Defensive Potential

Nembhard feels more like a guy with defensive potential than others I’ve discussed who just have it. He is very good at fronting guys on the wing as seen above and getting his hands in passing lanes, but I’m not sure you’re sticking him on the opposing Summer League team’s best player in a couple weeks with the other guys on this list.

This shouldn’t be looked at as a knock on him, since he’s still a very talented defender, but it feels like he’s not close to his peak status on that end of the floor like others are. Once again, the potential is high for him to develop into something on both sides of the court, but Miami isn’t looking for a high ceiling at the moment. They’re looking for a Duncan Robinson/Kendrick Nunn type gem.

Marcus Garrett

Absolute Defensive Dominance

If you want to see a guy that is league ready on the defensive end and doesn’t need the “potential” adjective, it’s Marcus Garrett. Another energy plug who has every asset imaginable that makes up a great lock-down defender.

He goes for the Andre Iguodala type swipes to muck things up for bigs on the catch, he’s the book cover for keeping your hands high when defending on-ball, can pick up full court for outstanding ball pressure, and is a pretty great help-side defender. If you’re thinking this is an overstatement for an undrafted guy, you are wrong.

He’s a previous defensive player of the year, and it was said that he probably would’ve won it again this past season if it weren’t for Davion Mitchell. I may have used the phrase “Miami Heat guy” too many times in this piece, but if there’s a guy Erik Spoelstra would love to utilize on a regular basis, it’s probably Marcus Garrett.

Offensive Growth Meant NBA Ready

There were some offensive issues early on, which put some question marks next to his effectiveness at the next level. In his first three seasons in college, he was only attempting about 1 triple a game, while recording percentages of 27%, 25% and 33% respectively.

But in his senior year, he attempted close to 2 and a half threes a game, and shot 35% from deep. And the thing that makes me much more confident about his shooting than past guys is that his shooting stroke actually looks smooth.

Looking at the clips above, it’s pretty clear he’s a rhythm shooter when shots fall early on, but this isn’t the same type of offensive development discussion with guys like KZ Okpala, or past guys on this list. There may need to be some growth, but everything is in his bag at this very moment.

Every player is not going to be complete, but they have to have the skill-set to show they’re pretty close. And well, Garrett is pretty close.

Point Guard Qualities

Of course the defensive stuff will always come up first with Garrett, but he truly seems to be a perfect role player in this league. A guy that has a known role every night, but can also expand into some scoring bursts or passing clinics.

Garrett has shown that he can be a viable facilitator in this league, while sprinkling in some dribble drives that every young guard must have to make the defender respect your next move. Looking at the clips above, he can clearly make the right passes but the question will be if he can make the right reads.

Four years in college prepared him for that a bit and this Summer League experience definitely won’t hurt. Another thing that can be seen above is that he doesn’t just bring physicality on defense. He finds himself on the block at times posting up guys his size, since he knows that his gritty ways will find a way down there.

The Heat tend to love those “dogs” on both ends and Garrett fits that description very well.

Micah Potter

Pick and Pop Artist

Well, we’ve finally reached the guy that is different from the bunch. After Miami went very heavy into picking up guys in the wing department, as I expected, they also added Micah Potter who is a very talented stretch big.

It’s important to mention that he thrives in a pick and pop setting, since his jump-shot has pretty much been a primary strength. Yes, catch and shoot opportunities occurred and he actually put the ball on the floor to set himself up from deep, but that just isn’t a big man role. Screening and popping is that role at the next level, and he’s mastered that over the past two years.

He only averaged 4 points a game in his freshman and sophomore year with Ohio State, but when he transferred to Wisconsin, he took off. Jumped up to 3 attempts from deep per game, where he shot 45% and 39% respectively. Looking at the clips above, he has a perfect shooting base, good motion, and nice release point.

Potter will be a guy that you know what you’re getting from every night, and Miami loves consistency.

Low Post Play

Although he loves to stretch the floor, don’t let that distract you from his interior play. He can create offense in many different ways from the post, either turning into a baseline jumper or using his good looking footwork for post spins at the basket.

He can use both hands around the rim out of the post as well, and his good size feels like that’ll translate well to a Summer League environment. While the offensive interior play is a part to harp on, the same doesn’t really go for the end of the floor.

Potter isn’t very versatile on the defensive end guarding the perimeter, while there still needs to be some improvement in the pick and roll coverage in drop. Rebounding also may need a bit of a boost, which clearly would make the difference on a Heat team at the end of the roster.

Surprising Mobility

To finish it off, he did surprise me with his mobility. Seeing his size and the main attributes of his game usually mean slow-footed rollers who are just there to create for the attacker.

That isn’t the case with Potter, since he can actually move down the lane and knows what to do with that pocket pass when he catches it in traffic.

It’s pretty obvious that the Miami Heat will have quite the Summer League squad this season with the amount of talent highlighted here, but a lot of these guys are playing for something bigger.

If Miami makes a deal this off-season to bring in a high level talent for a bunch of assets, many of these players could be getting their name called up, so it’s time to see how they perform on this next stage.

 

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Worst Heat Draft Picks

5 Worst Heat Draft Picks of All-Time

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Entering their 34th season of existence, the Miami Heat find themselves without a selection in the 2021 NBA Draft. In five previous drafts (’96, ’06, ’13, ’16 and ’18), the Heat did not make a selection of any kind. But in the years they have made selections, their hit-rate has been spotty. Miami has found itself in the draft lottery 14 times, and some of those selections represent the worst Heat draft picks of all-time.

While it remains to be seen how the 2021 NBA Draft will play out, here’s a look at the five worst Heat draft picks of all-time.

 

First, a Quick Look at a few Regrettable Trades

Without a pick entering the evening’s festivities, there is precedent for Miami trading into the first round. In 1996, Pat Riley reshaped the Heat roster following a playoff sweep at the hands of the eventual champion Chicago Bulls. Sound familiar?

That year, Riley sent a future first round selection to Utah for the draft rights to Martin Müürsepp. The 6-9 Estonian proved to be something of a reach and developed very little in a Heat uniform. All told, Müürsepp played 10 games for Miami before being packaged with Sasha Danilović and Kurt Thomas to the Mavericks for Jamal Mashburn.

Picking Müürsepp at 25 helped yield an impactful player for Miami, yes. But there were other, better players on the board during the 1996 NBA Draft. Namely, Jerome Williams (26), Malik Rose (44) and Shandon Anderson (54), among others.

What compounds this regrettable move is the inclusion of the 2000 1st rounder, a selection that eventually became DeShawn Stevenson.

The other bad trade came in 1992. The Heat sent their ’93 first and rookie Isaiah Morris (a ’92 second round pick) to Detroit for veteran center John Salley. Although Salley proved useful for three seasons, Miami left him unprotected in the 1995 expansion draft and Toronto plucked him.

That ’93 first Miami surrendered? It became Lindsey Hunter at No. 10. Some of the other players on the board at that time were Allan Houston (yes, that Allan Houston) and Sam Cassell.

Related: 5 Best Heat Draft Picks of All-Time

Worst Heat Draft Picks: Willie Burton (No. 9, 1990)

Worst Heat Draft Picks

Lady Luck didn’t smile on Miami in 1990. In the first year of the weighted lottery system, the Heat held the second-best odds for the No. 1 overall selection. That season, Derrick Coleman was expected to go first. Future Hall-of-Famer Gary Payton stood as the likely No. 2 pick. But instead of landing the Glove 15 years before he’d make it to Miami, the Heat slipped to No. 3.

Prior to the draft, Lewis Schaffel, first GM in Heat history, dealt that selection to Denver for the ninth and fifteenth picks that year. Schaffel said at the time the difference between third and the ninth was “not huge. There might not be any.”

There was.

Third overall turned out to be Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf (nee Chris Jackson). The Heat chose Willie Burton from Minnesota at nine. Over eight NBA seasons, Burton posted a minus-0.9 VORP (Value-Over-Replacement-Player), 39th in the class, and 9.1 Win Shares, 23rd in the class.

Burton played well as a rookie, averaging 12 PPG and earning a spot the NBA’s All-Rookie second team. But his production cratered from there. After four seasons, Miami waived him. Burton got revenge in 1994 when, as a 76er, he scored a career-high 53 points against the Heat.

Going into ’90-’91, the Heat had need at power forward and shooting guard. By swapping No. 3 and No. 9, the team missed out on Dennis Scott (4) and Kendall Gill (5). Miami could’ve used Tyrone Hill (11), too.

Miami used No. 15 overall to take guard Dave Jamerson, who they traded to Houston with their No. 30 pick Carl Herrera for power forward Alec Kessler. Other players Miami missed out on in 1990 included Elden Campbell (27), Toni Kukoč (29), Antonio Davis (45) and Cedric Ceballos (48).

 

Worst Heat Draft Picks: Khalid Reeves (No. 12, 1994)

Worst Heat Draft Picks

Heading into the 1994 NBA Draft, the Heat were coming of the first winning season in franchise history. As the 8-seed in the playoffs, Miami nearly upset the top-seeded Hawks, losing in the deciding Game 5 of the series. A year after not having a first-round pick, Miami held the No. 12 selection overall, the first outside the lottery.

Miami lost Brian Shaw to free agency and waived Burton, so the team needed guard depth. The promising young core of Glen Rice, Steve Smith and Rony Seikaly seemed ready to vault up the Eastern Conference and drafting Jalen Rose could have provided just the playmaker Miami needed.

But that’s not what Schaffel did. Instead of taking Rose, Miami selected Khalid Reeves at No. 12. A 6-3 scorer from Arizona, Reeves was miscast as a point guard in Miami. He provided very little production as a rookie and stood by as Schaffel and Billy Cunningham retooled the roster. Miami missed the playoffs and Micky Arison assumed controlling interest in the franchise. Arison brought in Pat Riley who included Reeves in his franchise-altering trade for Alonzo Mourning.

Reeves played six seasons in the NBA, but just one for Miami, making him arguably one of the worst Heat draft picks of all-time. He posted a 1.0 VORP (19th in class) and 8.4 Win Shares (22nd in the class).

On the board at the time of his selection: Rose (13), Aaron McKie (17), Wesley Person (23) and Charlie Ward (26).

Heat legend Voshon Lenard was drafted No. 46 overall by Milwaukee. Miami passed him over in the second round, opting instead for Oklahoma forward Jeff Webster. Riley would sign Lenard as a free agent on December 29, 1995.

 

Worst Heat Draft Picks: Michael Beasley (No. 2, 2008)

Worst Heat Draft PicksTo include Michael Beasley’s name on this list is to court the ire of #HeatTwitter. Beasley remains oddly beloved in Miami, despite limited production and questionable behavior.

The ‘07-‘08 Heat season couldn’t have gone any worse. Their 15-67 mark tied the expansion club for the worst record in franchise history. It was Riley’s last season as head coach and Zo’s last as a player. Dwyane Wademissed time with injuries and Shaquille O’Neal was shipped off. The second half of the season saw Miami trot out lineups that included Blake Ahearn, Stéphane Lasme, Smush Parker and Kasib Powell. The only hope was the 2008 NBA Draft.

Miami held the best odds for No. 1, which would’ve landed Derrick Rose. But at the lottery, Chicago jumped eight places to steal the first pick, pushing the Heat to No. 2. Prior to the draft, it was said that Miami preferred O.J. Mayo. The Heat were trying to trade down and get some cap relief, but when there were no takers, Miami selected Beasley.

Taking Mayo would’ve also been one of the worst Heat draft picks of all-time, considering the names following. Russell Westbrook (4), Kevin Love (5) and Brook Lopez (10) have all been far superior NBA players than both Beas and Mayo.

Beasley’s posted a 0.9 VORP (25th in the class) and 15.6 Win Shares (28th in the class) during his career. Miami moved Beasley to the Timberwolves in 2010 to clear cap space, ultimately allowing them to assemble the Big-3: Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh. Beasley’s winding career has made two stops in Miami since.

And who knows? Maybe fourth time’s a charm.

 

Worst Heat Draft Picks: Justise Winslow (No. 10, 2015)

Worst Heat Draft PicksAlthough #JustiseBetter was a thing for a considerable amount of time, there’s no escaping the fact that Justise Winslow remains a disappointment to Heat faithful. At the time of his selection, however, people lauded Miami’s choice.

The do-it-all forward entered the 2015 NBA Draft coming off a National Championship and even drew comparisons to (gasp) Grant Hill. But in the end, inconsistency and injuries ultimately landed Winslow among the worst Heat draft picks of all-time.

Two things color the Winslow selection beyond his underwhelming play and limited availability.

First, reports floated around immediately after the draft and in the intervening years that Boston Celtics’ GM Danny Ainge coveted Winslow so much that he offered a package of six draft picks to trade up. This offer was reportedly made to Detroit, which held the No. 8 pick, Charlotte (No. 9) and Miami (No. 10). All three teams rebuffed Boston, opting instead to draft Stanley Johnson, Frank Kaminsky and Winslow in succession. In retrospect, Miami might have done well with six additional picks, including four firsts.

Second, Miami missed out on a potentially franchise-altering player in Devin Booker, who went No. 13 to Phoenix. Some of the others on the board between Winslow and Miami’s second round pick (No. 40, Josh Richardson) included Myles Turner (11), Kelly Oubre Jr (15), Terry Rozier (16), Delon Wright (20), Bobby Portis (22) and Montrezl Harrell (32).

Miami traded Winslow on February 6, 2020 in a three-team deal that saw the Heat land  Jae Crowder, Solomon Hill and Andre Iguodala. Those three helped propel Miami to the 2020 NBA Finals.

Winslow, meanwhile, has posted a minus-0.2 VORP (32nd in the class) and 7.0 Win Shares (25th in the class) over six spotty seasons.

 

Worst Heat Draft Picks: Harold Miner (No. 12, 1992)

Worst Heat Draft PicksThe 1992 NBA Draft stands as a turning point in league history. Orlando won the lottery and the right to select Shaq, while Charlotte moved up six spots to land Zo. Minnesota slipped to No. 3 overall, settling for Christian Laettner.

The Heat held No. 12 after making the franchise’s first playoff appearance. The Bulls swept Miami out of the first round that year, so it’s fitting that the Heat wound up with “Baby Jordan.”

Harold Miner earned Sports Illustrated’s player of the year over Laettner, Mourning and O’Neal in 1992, averaging 26.3 points- and seven rebounds-per-game for USC. Most mocks had Miner as a top-10 pick, some going as high as No. 3. So it was a surprise for him to be there when Miami picked at 12.

At the time, Miami needed another rebounder and frontcourt enforcer to compliment the young core of Rice, Seikaly and Smith. The quintessential Heat enforcer was on the board, too. P.J. Brown went 29th to New Jersey. Instead, Miami opted for Miner, who never really fit.

Miner played three unremarkable seasons with the Heat (save for his two Slam Dunk Contest victories). He posted a minus-0.9 VORP (42nd in the class) and 4.2 Win Shares (29th in the class). Miami traded him to Cleveland in 1995 as part of a second-round pick swap.

Among the other players on the board at No. 12 besides Brown: Anthony Peeler (15), Doug Christie (17), Hubert Davis (20) and four-time All-Star Latrell Sprewell (24).

What makes Miner arguably the worst of the Heat draft picks of all-time is that Sprewell probably changes the trajectory of the franchise at that point. He was immediately an elite defender and quickly became a go-to scorer. He might’ve been the missing piece for the franchise’s initial young core.

 

Heat’s Strange Connection to the 1992 Draft

Ironically, the Heat rostered eight of the first 10 players selected in the 1992 draft: O’Neal, Mourning, Laettner, Jim Jackson, LaPhonso Ellis, Walt Williams, Todd Day and Clarence Weatherspoon.

Beyond those eight, there was also Miner, Brown, Don MacLean (19), Matt Geiger (42), Sasha Danilović (43) and Matt Fish (50). Miami drafted Isaiah Morris in the second round (37) but traded him to Detroit as part of the package to acquire Salley in ‘92. That makes 15 of 48 players (31 percent) who actually played in the NBA from this draft were one-time members of the Miami Heat.

Also of note, the Heat’s selection of Geiger with the No. 42 overall selection came thanks to a trade made with the Los Angeles Lakers. In a pre-expansion draft deal on June 23, 1988, LA sent a future 1992 2nd round pick to Miami ensuring the Heat would not select Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the expansion draft.

Related: NBA Lottery Mock Draft: Cunningham and company