Full 7 in 1 Breakdown on Miami Heat Undrafted Signings

/0 Comments/in , /by

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.

 

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

Worst Heat Draft Picks

5 Worst Heat Draft Picks of All-Time

/0 Comments/in /by

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

Miami Dolphins Camp Notes Day 2 (Tua stars, Griffin, X, more)

/0 Comments/in /by

Day 3 of camp, and the intrigue has just begun. Xavien Howard stretches,then leaves the field. Then returns. Then is seen all smiles with Jason McCourty. Then watches practice. Does a little coaching. Then it is revealed he has a “minor” injury. Exhausting. Moving On!

Tua Tagovailoa. This was a good day. A Strike to Gesicki in traffic, a well placed wheel route for Savon Ahmed for a huge play. Another 65 yard touchdown on a deep corner route to Albert Wilson. Tua Tagovailoa was really sharp today. His Red Zone install work was also very good with very few negative plays. He had very good chemistry with Myles Gaskin on option routes, and those two were a terror near the goal line. This was likely his best practice of the last two training camps.

Byron Jones. Tua Tagovailoa tested Jones on a 9 route with Jaylen Waddle,and the ball was on the money. But so was Byron. Pass break up. With McCourty floating around different units, and Xavien Howard being wherever Xavien Howard is, Byron Jones exhibited great leadership on the field on this day. His play was also a standout on a day where the offense seemed to have a step on the defense. How quickly people forget that at the time of signing, most football people thought Byron Jones was a better cornerback than Howard. He might have to prove that once again.

Albert Wilson. Ok, I might have been wrong. Any thoughts/takes about Albert Wilson possibly being cut are quickly evaporating. With the absence of DeVante Parker (PUP, but he was out there today), and whatever physical issue Will Fuller is dealing with, it has been Albert Wilson, Allen Hurns, and rookie Jaylen Waddle to the rescue. Albert Wilson has also started a streak. Wilson has consecutive practices with 65 yard touchdowns on deep routes. Today’s on a deep corner route, that he ran in for a TD and then emphatically spiked the ball. Tua and Albert have a connection early on, and it doesn’t look like it will go away anytime soon. Oh, did I mention, he almost had two 60+ yard TD’s today?

 

Shaquem Griffin. What a breath of fresh air. Huge smile, giddy while answering questions, and will crack a joke or two. His availability with the media was a hit today, but his play is getting notice. He plays fast, fires off the edge like a shot, and has shown an ability to get into his zone in pass coverage with the kind of ease that only Jerome Baker usually displays. He looks the complete football player, they will find a role for. Some good special teams play in the preseason could land him a roster spot, as Griffin has a very useful look to him. Arrow up. Excited to see him in pads come Tuesday.

Mike Gesicki. Enough with Hunter Long already. Maybe Mike Gesicki feels the same way? He sure showed up today, stretching the field deep down the middle, hauling in a tight pass from Tua Tagovailoa for a big gain. He also made a good attempt on another pass where Tua led him too much toward the boundary. Gesicki was looking dangerous today, and reminded all, that he won’t lose his grip on targets anytime soon. Big standout day for Mike. After practice, he also took some extra work on the Juggs machine, as he caught 50 balls from each side (left, right). Welcome to training camp Mike Gesicki.

Practice MVP: Tua Tagovailoa
Struggled: WR Unit (health)

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

Things to Know Before Betting on American Football

/10 Comments/in /by

The fact that most people who want to bet on sports choose soccer shouldn’t come as a surprise. This is by far the biggest sport in the world, which is why online bookies usually have special promotions, thousands of markets, and competitive odds for it.

 

Of course, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try out any other sports because there are many good options. One of them is American football, a sport that has millions of fans in the U.S. Thanks to the NFL, even people from other continents have the chance to place bets on the best football teams in the world.

 

Even though American football is popular, it does not have as many fans as soccer, which is why some bettors don’t know much about it. If you are one of them, here are some of the aspects that you should know before you start betting.

 

You have to find the right online bookmaker for the job

 

People who like American football should look for a suitable online bookmaker that will give them the chance to choose from loads of markets and markets. Luckily, once you read the NFL guide by Nostrabet, you can check the website and pick one of the many world-class bookmakers that will allow you to have a fully-fledged NFL betting experience.

 

For some reason, the majority of online bookmakers do not have enough American football betting markets. Usually, they only offer the popular options that are available in every other sport. Needless to say, every NFL match could potentially provide you with thousands of options, so you shouldn’t settle for less.

 

Read more information about the top teams

 

People who follow American football and the NFL up close probably know which are the best teams, which is why they usually place bets on them. As you can probably guess, those of you who don’t know anything about the sport have to do thorough research and learn the newest information about every team and player.

 

Besides their position in the league, you also have to pay close attention to any injuries. Those things usually have a massive impact on some of the teams, so it may reflect on their performance.

 

It is advisable to learn some of the popular terms

 

Once you learn more information about the rules, another important thing that may have an impact on your betting success is the specific terminology. Those who decide to take advantage of the live streaming feature that you can find once you visit Nostrabet and choose one of the bookmakers will probably hear some of the popular terms, such as “Sack”. The latter is a word that describes the action of a defensive player who manages to squeeze behind the so-called “scrimmage line” and sack the QB.

 

Even though learning every term might take some time, it is definitely recommended, especially if you want to place bets on the NFL in the future. 

 

5 from Juan: Observations from First Day of Dolphins Practice

/0 Comments/in , /by

Welcome guys and gals to something I’ll try to do once a week but figured it would be a good time to start my observations which will be about the first day of practice. These are going to be my thoughts and opinions sprinkled in with some facts from people that know or were actually at practice. Without further ado, let’s dive in.

Tua thoughts:

Tua overall had a decent day as he did score some TDs like the long 60 yarder to Albert Wilson and another on a waggle to Shaheen where he looked off Baker with his eyes to fit it in there, he did have 2 interceptions on the day which people love to bring up. One interception was against AVG in a clear miscommunication with Shaheen where he was either between lobbing it up or coming back to the RB. The other was a pass that was described to me as lazy and batted at the line where Baker got the pick. 

Tua after practice talked at length about the differences between this year and last season with how much time he can spend with guys like eating with them and not having to go back home for a 2-hour zoom meeting like they had to do last year because of covid.When asked about the deep ball he talked about “getting everything down with guys, knowing where guys are going to be, and how they run certain routes..”. 

Sun-Sentinel reporter Omar Kelly and others have noted him taking the next step of leadership with bringing in guys to work out during the offseason, being a coach on the field, and even after practice where he mentioned “I got to get everyone together talk to the entire offense and I’ll just talk about our evaluation of the day you know how we started how it looks about the middle of practice and then how we finished on and you know I think overall we did pretty good obviously there’s always going to be things we need to brush up and cleanup.” All in all a good first step for Tua, that will give him things to pat himself in the back for while also giving him things to improve and work on. Remember this was all during install, which as our own Alfredo broke down, is just the Offense running the same play sometimes 3 or 4 times in a row with the Defense knowing exactly what’s coming.

Rookie Update:

We know Jaelan Phillips is playing OLB but a clip came out of him in a coverage drill and man did he look good. Phillips looks like a player ready to take on a huge workload as he looked fluid in pass defense sinking his hips and attacking the ball. Waddle as we’ll talk about next took full advantage of some guys being out and was all over the field and moving fast, like really fast. Holland is a rookie playing a position that usually requires a lot of communication which means he needs to know this defense well enough to not only know where he is lining up but also what the rest of the secondary has to do and how they align. Eichenberg having just been signed before the start of camp will probably has his shot to earn a job. Lastly Hunter Long who as more time passes, more people are standing up and realizing that he has legit talent and could really explode and be a top TE in the league.

Fuller leaves practice early

I can confirm Mando’s report of Fuller leaving practice early. Nobody seems to have seen him go down or even limp off the field, but it is something to monitor because of DVP and Preston starting on PUP. Other guys will have opportunities to impress like LBJ, Perry, Foster, Hollins, Albert, and even Waddle who’s probably the biggest benefactor in that he’s probably taking most of the snaps at WR. Wilson also seemed to take advantage on the 60 yard TD (a duck in some of the eyes of our fans) so these are names that based on the injury history of our top guys, will eventually be needed to not just play but also produce.

X showed up and practiced

After the bomb that X and his team dropped the night before the first practice, many assumed he would be pouting or working with less pep in his step, but I can report that he practiced with energy and showed no lack of professionalism with his on-field play. After the initial news hit It took me a while to get my thoughts together and I have to say that I feel the most for Byron Jones who had to withstand shots being thrown by a guy who’s opposite of him. I can report that X made it a fact to go and dap up Byron Jones before practice in front of the media.

Flores Song Selection

Can’t tell me nothing by Kanye west was the song used to start practice and to end it. The lyrics go like this:

We’ve seen in the past Flo send subliminal messages through his music selection but this one is as direct as can be IMO. Flores has press conferences every other day so look for his next interview on Thursday, July 29th, to be the one where he gets bombarded by Xavien Howard questions. Shocking that 2 days into camp and we already have so much to deal with and go through but this is the result of being a good team, something most fans this century have no experience with.

All in all, a positive first step for your 2021 Miami Dolphins but it’s only one of many that are going to be needed to get this team to where we all believe they should be, the playoffs. Till next time, Fins Up!

 

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

Best Heat Draft Picks

5 Best Heat Draft Picks of All-Time

/0 Comments/in /by

The Miami Heat hold a checkered history when it comes to the NBA Draft. Whittling down the list to the five best Heat draft picks of all-time can be difficult, though there are some obvious choices.

With first round picks often flipped for veteran players, the number of years draft night held any intrigue in Miami remains small. In 33 seasons, the Heat held a spot in the draft lottery 14 times (not including 1988). Two of those lottery selections were shipped to other clubs prior to the draft. Five times, draft night came and went without a pick from the Heat (’96, ’06, ’13, ’16 and ’18). On seven other occasions, Miami made only second round selections (’93, ’98, ’00, ’01, ’09, ’10 and ’11).

Miami has made 58 draft selections over the years. But only two players drafted by the franchise have become NBA All-Stars in a Heat uniform. More often than not, draft picks provide momentary hope, before becoming assets sent to other teams for other stars.

So here’s a look at the five best Heat draft picks of All-Time.

 

Best Heat Draft Picks: Josh Richardson (2015, 40th overall)

Best Heat Draft Picks

Tennessee’s Josh Richardson / Credit: UT Athletics

The Miami Heat have a long track record of developing talent. The list of undrafted free agent success stories is a long one. But the team’s success rate on second round picks remains less favorable. Of the Heat’s 58 draft picks all-time, 34 have come in the second round. The best of those picks came in 2015, when the Heat selected Josh Richardson with the 40th overall selection.

A 6-5 combo guard out of Tennessee, Richardson went on to play four years in Miami. Richardson’s metrics improved with each season as he became a staple in the Heat’s rotation. His 419 career three-pointers made rank 10th all-time in franchise history. Sometimes miscast as a playmaker, Richardson remained a reliable defender throughout his time with the Heat. Richardson headlined the trade package that landed Miami Jimmy Butler in 2019.

Even though he was the 40th pick of the 2015 NBA Draft, Richardson stands among the most productive players from that draft class. He’s top-10 from that class in Win Shares (20.3). And his 4.1 VORP (Value over Replacement Player) ranks 12th among the 60 selections, 20 slots ahead of Miami’s other selection that season, Justise Winslow.

Related: Some Possible Undrafted Gems that Miami Should Have their Eyes On

 

Best Heat Draft Picks: Rony Seikaly (1988, 9th overall)

Best Heat Draft Picks

June 28, 1988 the Heat made the 1st pick in team history, choosing Rony Seikaly 9th pick in the NBA Draft. (via: Miami Heat Instagram)

Rony Seikaly’s name remains forever etched in Heat history. The first ever draft selection by the franchise, Seikaly proved to be a valuable cornerstone player in Miami’s early years.

The ninth overall selection of the 1988 NBA Draft, Seikaly played six seasons with the Heat. He averaged 15.4 points-per-game and 10.4 rebounds-per-game, and won NBA’s Most Improved Player award in 1990. Seikaly anchored Miami’s first playoff teams and his name still dots the top-10 in 22 statistical categories.

But a falling out with then-managing partners Lewis Schaffel and Billy Cunningham ultimately paved the way for a franchise-altering rebuild. Seikaly was shipped off to Golden State for Sasha Danilović and Billy Owens on November 2, 1994. That deal was quickly followed with another that saw Steve Smith and Grant Long sent to Atlanta. Suddenly, the initial promising young core in Heat history was no more.

Seikaly finished his career as the second-best rebounder and eighth-best scorer from the 1988 class. Ironically, the Heat rostered the top three rebounders from this class, including the overall leader Anthony Mason and Long. In a redraft of that class, Seikaly could arguably go as high as fifth.

 

Best Heat Draft Picks: Bam Adebayo (2017, 14th overall)

Best Heat Draft Picks

Bam Adebayo and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver at the NBA basketball draft, Thursday, June 22, 2017. (Photo Credit: AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

The Heat landed in the 2017 NBA lottery despite the 30-11 second-half. Miami found itself eliminated from the playoffs on the final day of the regular season, missing out thanks to a tie-breaker. And although that 30-11 run mucked up the Heat’s salary cap for years to come after some (highly) questionable free agent decisions, the Heat landed one of the franchise’s best and most impactful draft picks of all-time.

Bam Adebayo came to Miami via the 14th overall selection in 2017 NBA Draft. And although the move was panned by many at the time, Adebayo has grown into a franchise cornerstone in the intervening years. Only he and Dwyane Wade boast All-Star bids as draftees of the Heat. He’s also a two-time All-Defensive player and one of five in Heat history to make the Team USA’s Olympics roster. If he remains with the club long-term, there’s no doubt Adebayo’s name will rewrite the franchise record book.

As it stands right now, Adebayo ranks first from the 2017 class in Win Shares, ahead of Jayson Tatum, Donovan Mitchell and all the others. He’s second in VORP. There’s no doubt Adebayo, the 14th pick overall, would be in the top-3 in a 2017 redraft.

 

Best Heat Draft Picks: Glen Rice (1989, 4th overall)

Best Heat Draft Picks

(Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)

Coming off an inaugural campaign that saw the Heat win just 15 games, Miami landed its first true star in the 1989 NBA Draft. The Heat labored through that first season, playing in the Western Conference as part of the Midwest division with Dallas, Denver, Houston, San Antonio and Utah. And despite having the worst record in the league by five games, the Heat slipped to fourth the draft lottery. The Kings, Clippers and Spurs all jumped Miami in the draft order.

But what resulted is arguably the second best Heat draft pick of all-time: Glen Rice. The face of the franchise for six seasons, Rice lead Miami’s young franchise to its first playoff berths and winning season. He became the Heat’s first-ever 20-point-per-game scorer and would have been the NBA Rookie of the Year had 1987 draft pick David Robinson not missed his first two seasons for military service.

A three-time All-Star and one-time NBA Champ (albeit not with the Heat), Rice won the NBA Three-Point Shootout in 1995, the first of four Heat players to do so. Rice remains among the franchise top-10 in 26 different statistical categories, including top-3 in scoring (9,248). Rice became the centerpiece in Pat Riley’s trade for Alonzo Mourning on November 3, 1995.

Rice ranks fourth among the 1989 draftees in Win Shares (88.7) and fifth in VORP (24.9). But in a redraft of that class, Rice arguably goes first overall. That class also featured a great second round pick by Miami in Sherman Douglas. Heat legend Tim Hardaway also entered the NBA that year, going 14th to Golden State.

 

Best Heat Draft Picks: Dwyane Wade (2003, 5th overall)

Best Heat Draft Picks

(Victor Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images)

This one goes without saying. The Heat landed Wade with the fifth overall selection in the loaded 2003 NBA Draft, arguably the league’s best draft class of all-time.

The lottery sported all the intrigue that year, considering the hype surrounding then-high school phenom LeBron James. Miami finished the 2002 season with the fourth-worst record in the league, but saw themselves pushed down in the draft order when Memphis jumped to the No. 2 overall pick.

Unfortunately for Memphis, their pick was only lottery-protected if it landed No. 1. So, thanks to an ill-fated 1997 trade as the then-Vancouver Grizzlies for Otis Thorpe, it went to Detroit. The Pistons, meanwhile, used the second overall selection to surprisingly take Darko Miličić. Carmelo Anthony went to Denver, Chris Bosh to Toronto. Wade landed right in the Heat’s lap.

This fortuitous turn of events altered the trajectory of the Heat franchise and really NBA history. Had Miami not been jumped in the draft order, Riley might have taken Bosh over Wade. There was even talk of Chris Kaman being the selection at five. Thankfully, Wade was the pick.

Loading
Loading...

Among that class, Wade ranks second in Win Shares (120.7) and VORP (62.8). There’s no doubt he’d be the second overall selection in a 2003 redraft. Wade ranks first among Heat career leaders in 19 statistical categories and among the top-10 in 17 others.

Three championships and countless memories later, Wade remains the only player ever drafted by Miami to have his number retired. He stands atop the list of the Heat’s best draft picks of all-time.

Related: Answering Your Questions: What is Next for the Miami Heat?

Miami Hurricanes

Miami Hurricanes continue to roll with commitment of Isaiah Horton

/0 Comments/in , /by

The Miami Hurricanes have been on a recruiting tear the past couple of weeks. That continued on Wednesday as wide receiver Isaiah Horton committed to the program. A member of the class of 2022, he is a four-star receiver. He is the ninth overall wide receiver in the  2022 class, and the eighth overall player in his class from the state of Tennessee per the 247Sports Composite Rankings.

Loading
Loading...

In addition to Miami, he also had offers from the likes of Jackson State, Kentucky, Louisville, and LSU. Most recently, he took an unofficial visit to Tennessee.

As I watch his film, I see a wide receiver that has tremendous athletic ability. He plays best on the outside, and is able to use his athleticism to jump up and catch passes. In addition, he is very good at running after the catch. As soon as he gets the football, he turns up quickly and accelerates.

He is not the type of wide receiver that is going to beat you consistently with his speed. He will however be able to make contested catches with ease.

Horton was a key part of the Oakland  high school offensive attack. In 2020, he recorded 34 catches for 643 yards and seven touchdowns. His playmaking ability is on full display, and that is what I suspect he will bring to Miami.

With the types of quarterbacks that Miami is bringing in as well as the talented playmakers they are trying to surround the quarterbacks with, Horton is a good fit in that regard. He will definitely add to the 2022 class that is growing quickly with talent.

Currently, the 2022 Miami Hurricanes recruiting class is shaping up nicely. They have now moved up to 61st in the country, and 12th overall in the ACC per the 247Sports composite rankings. This class is really coming together nicely.

I will be intrigued to see who Miami adds next. Right now, they have a solid base to work with.

Evaluating the Ups and Downs of the Olympic-Heat Players Tuesday Night

/0 Comments/in , /by

After another night of Olympic basketball, the story-lines are flooded with teams consisting of young Miami Heat players. Nigeria fell yet again to Germany, which puts their hopes for a medal in a very interesting spot.

Bam Adebayo and Team USA, on the other hand, took care of business against Iran. Although the stat-sheet wasn’t screaming Adebayo’s name, there are definitely things that were seen which can carry over to his play-style in a Miami Heat jersey.

While two out of the four players showcased more negative than positive on Tuesday night, let’s start out with the two guys that had more positive flashes…..

Precious Achiuwa:

Physical Attacks

Achiuwa definitely had his moments in this game, but it definitely wasn’t as smooth as the games back in Las Vegas. At that time, everything he did looked effortless on the offensive end, but as time progressed, more and more things looked forced.

One area of his game that wasn’t being forced was when he had a head of steam going to the basket. As I’ve highlighted in the past, the game has slowed down for him a bit since his rookie season. The reason I say that is due to the extra patience on screens in the high pick and roll.

Usually he would sprint to the basket on the dive for a possible lob, but now he has realized that the pocket pass may benefit him more on many possessions. And well, the stuff he’s been able to do off that reception has been impressive.

On the play above, he slips the screen after the defenders blitz the ball-handler, and it leads to a wide open lane for a slam. A few minutes later, we got to see more of those physical drives in transition.

To reiterate previous points, these weren’t the outcomes on fast-break opportunities for Achiuwa last season. His ability to finally control his body when moving at a high speed is something that changes his game offensively. As seen on the replay in the second clip, he uses his wide frame to take the contact and finish at the rim for the and-1.

Instead of using pump-fakes and retreat dribbles to shy away from contact, he has been embracing it. Combining that with a much improved handle on the perimeter, which he has gotten plenty of reps with as Nigeria’s point guard at times, leads to a guy with major upside on that end of the floor. He’s making subtle improvements on the offensive end, and that’s what an off-season does for a young prospect like himself.

Caught in the Air

To mention one negative takeaway from his performance yesterday, there were some defensive lapses in one specific area. He has actually looked great on that end throughout this whole period, especially on the perimeter against guards as he gives them the “Adebayo treatment.”

Aside from that, he just falls for fakes way too often in the interior, which leads to him throwing his body completely into a block or contest. That resulted in foul trouble yesterday, and it feels like that’s been a recurring theme for some time now.

Even on the perimeter at times, the slightest pump-fake outside the arc gets him in the air. This isn’t a huge deal in the big picture, since that can very easily be tweaked, but it seems like that’ll need to be straightened out pretty soon to avoid that in an NBA environment.

Bam Adebayo:

Transition Dominance

Onto Bam Adebayo’s performance, something I’ve touched on in many pieces in the past was utilized early in this game: transition offense. He’s going to be quicker than any big he faces in these games, which means getting out on the break for the outlet pass can be so effective for Team USA.

He had two possessions early in yesterday’s game where easy transition points were the outcome, and I feel that this could be the case next season with the Heat. Of course it’s not because of the same point here with being quicker than other players, but it opens up the floor and maximizes his offensive ability.

Loading
Loading...

A point guard will definitely clean up half-court struggles, but getting a shifty, speedy, and versatile big with a handle sprinting down the floor with defenders on their heels seems like a pretty beneficial option. He’s gotten comfortable looking for guys like Jimmy Butler or Goran Dragic on the break, where he must realize now that he’s the true x-factor in this situation.

Clips like the one above are just easy buckets with nobody in front of him, but I’m talking more about possessions where a defense is scrambling to set-up. Faking a DHO, using a dribble combo, or bull dozing his way toward the rim can all be used to eliminate the consistent half-court retreat.

Defensive Diversity

I feel like I’ve discussed every major defensive staple from Adebayo in these games so far, so why stop now? He looked the same with his dominance on the perimeter against guards, where they believe they forced a mismatch early in the first quarter, before realizing it’s just the opposite.

He had his hands full on the block yesterday, but those are great reps to go through so he can grow more comfortable against bigger guys. There’s still some unknown if that’ll be his duty next season if Miami adds a small ball 4, or if that task will be passed onto a stretch big at the 5.

Either way, plays like the one above only occur with pure athletic and determined defenders. Slowly trailing the ball-handler who believes he has a one-on-one opportunity, before blocking it from behind for the stop.

We can sit here and highlight the biggest strengths of his defensive skill-set, perimeter clamps and help-side tagging, but he’s more diverse than I believe most people think. His build just isn’t normal with the attributes he has available to him, which makes him so intriguing as a player once everything else fully comes together.

Gabe Vincent:

Shooting Consistency Question Marks

Gabe Vincent was an interesting story for Nigeria last night. He came out firing from deep, scoring 8 points with two catch and shoot threes shown above and a nice pull-up 2 off the dribble.

You may think that sounds like a fantastic game for him, but shooting consistency continues to be harped on following the hot start. After those 2 triples early on, he ended up missing his next 8 from deep, ending the game 2 of 10 from beyond the arc.

As we know about Vincent, that part of his game went from a major skill to a possible weakness, once realization came that his most ideal area for him to play is on the defensive end. He showed that last night as well, by hounding guards full court and a fantastic way of navigating screens off the ball and in the pick and roll.

I believe Vincent has it in him to make a jump in efficiency, but it’s yet to be seen. In a perfect off-season, Vincent will be the team’s back up guard next season, due to that meaning Miami made some big deals to bring in supreme talents. But if that was going to be his role, he would have to fix that up majorly so the Heat aren’t forced to look at different options.

KZ Okpala:

Skill-Set of Polar Opposites

And the final guy in this discussion is KZ Okpala, who I’ve pretty much walked away from every game with the same exact takeaway. To touch on the positive stuff first, the dude is just an absolute monster on defense. The full-court press, the speed to switch, the length to hit passing lanes, and a combination of that all to alter shots.

Those things led to him racking up 5 steals in yesterday’s game, which would make you think that player is extremely talented and effective at the moment. But the issue is that he had the same amount of steals as points, which seems to be the case in every game he plays.

I actually thought he looked more comfortable on offense early on than he did the entire Olympics. The clip above shows a solid drive that he had, where he utilized his long strides to get to the basket, before giving a nice bump to create separation for the score.

But much like Vincent’s situation, it tailed off. And well, he actually became a true liability on that end for them down the stretch. The biggest thing that must be noted is that he is just way too predictable on that end. Defenses find out quickly that he’s not a true floor spacer, while the limited on-ball involvement allows for exclusive tagging as they drop away from him.

As he tried to create some offense in the half-court and in transition in the fourth quarter yesterday, it halted their flow. With an unwillingness to look at the basket, players began fronting the perimeter, waiting for the kick-out. That led to two late turnovers on forced passes, all due to him not being able to be instinctive with his decisions.

Once again, he has unbelievable potential on defense, but the offensive stuff will continue to hold him back. Especially on a Heat team where floor spacing is absolutely necessary next to the roster’s top dogs, that must be added for him to have a major role in the future.

 

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

Miami Dolphins restructure Benardrick McKinney’s contract

/0 Comments/in , /by

Last week, I told anyone that listened how much I liked the Miami Dolphins trade for linebacker Benardrick Mckinney. I believe I said it was a good deal for both sides, and I thought that he was locked up under contract for a few years was beneficial for the team and could allow them to work on deals with some of the team’s other pending free agents. I was wrong! 

According to ESPN’s Field Yates, the contract details were a little more than your typical everyday restructure.

 

Now, the first question I had after reading this is, “where will that fresh $4M worth of cap space go?”

Some might try to spin it as a bigger trade, probably for a certain quarterback to generate clicks and engagement. I won’t do that.

What I will say is that there are three in-house candidates:

All-pro cornerback Xavien Howard is seeking more guaranteed money, though the way he handled himself last night wasn’t the most professional. (It was well-written, I just would’ve preferred it be an email to the team or letter sent by Carrier Pigeon to Chris Grier’s office) Could that money be used to make Howard happy?

Emmanuel Ogbah, on the other hand, wants a new deal and has handled himself the right way. And let’s not forget tight end Mike Gesicki is in line to get paid, as well.

Loading
Loading...

Additionally, McKinney’s restructure made me wonder whether or not the Dolphins were already targeting a younger, cheaper linebacker via trade.

And let’s not forget, if Benardrick McKinney hits free agency, the Miami Dolphins would be in line for a compensatory pick. Something I reckon Chris Grier and the team knew when they made the trade several months ago. But again, I think what McKinney brings to the defense, WHEN HEALTHY, is deserving of a multi-year deal. However, with a birthday later this year and the age of 30 on the horizon, perhaps McKinney was never a long-term solution at middle linebacker?

As with anything in Miami Gardens, no one truly knows what Chris Grier and the Miami Dolphins are doing. But that won’t stop us all from speculating! I will update this article throughout the day with any important news and information regarding Dolphins linebacker Benardrick.

Enjoy day two of Miami Dolphins training camp!

**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

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

Three Betting Bonuses to Put to the Test

/8 Comments/in /by

Almost every betting website has some sorts of promotions that you can use once you start betting. Most gambling operators copy each other, which is why users often come across similar bonuses. For example, almost every online bookie and casino has at least one deposit promotion that will provide users with bonus funds if they add a specific amount of money to their accounts. Although you can access most promotions on every betting website, each one has different Terms and Conditions. This means that you should always read the rules before choosing which offer to test.

 

Besides the promos that are available on many betting platforms, some bookies and casinos have special bonuses that can’t be found anywhere else. Some of them are so rare that you may not even have the chance to try them out.

 

With that being said, here are three of the rarest betting promotions.

  • Mobile cashback

 

Most people who bet online use one of their handheld devices because it allows them to enjoy their hobby wherever they go. That’s why once you read the review where silentbet offers an exclusive bonus code for Unibet, you will see that one of the big names in the industry optimized its promo section. Consequently, smartphone and tablet users can avail themselves of every offer that is available to their desktop counterparts.

 

Unfortunately, even some of the industry leaders do not have an exclusive mobile promotion that is not available to PC and Mac users. Some sites do not have the required experience to create those offers, whereas others simply do not want to provide exclusive privileges to their mobile punters. 

 

Although some brands might not be keen on developing a mobile-centric promotion, they will probably have to do it anyway because it is becoming really difficult for online bookies and casinos to gain new clients. Needless to say, this promotion will have a positive impact when it comes down to gaining new customers.

  • Free bets

 

Even though some of Unibet’s offers that you will find on Silentbet may give you the chance to get a free bet, most sports betting operators do not provide their clients with this type of offer. Usually, they just have a regular deposit promo requiring a real money transaction to work.

 

While it is true that some free bets also require a real-money deposit, the classic variation of this offer can be obtained for free. Typically, clients need to complete the account verification process or download a given mobile app to get their hands on it. 

  • VIP rewards

 

The last things we’d like to point out in this article are the so-called VIP rewards. Those types of offers are only available to people who successfully become a part of a given operator’s loyalty program.

 

Despite the fact that more gambling websites have VIP clubs than free bets and mobile promos, this is not something that you can find every day.