Who Else is on the Miami Heat’s Draft Radar?

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The Miami Heat have the 20th pick in this year’s NBA draft, but there’s a very good chance that this pick won’t be in their possession for long, due to possible trades.

I’ve mentioned before that if they do elect to keep the pick, they will go after a defensive guard or a true big, which I believe would be Tyrese Maxey or Vernon Carey Jr.

But who else could they take a look at?

Greg Sylvander reported yesterday that he has heard the Miami Heat are intrigued by Malachi Flynn from San Diego State.

This makes some sense for a couple reasons.

For one, he has the ability to be the defensive guard they’re looking for. And he also has a polished offensive game. He’s a good shooter, and many rave about his pick and roll abilities.

But what really makes him stand out as a Miami Heat type player is that he has continued to fly under the radar. And it’s pretty clear, that Miami tends to lean towards those types of players.

And by the way, some people have mentioned his downfall is his “short arms,” which is pretty similar to their draft pick last year, in Tyler Herro.

Another name that came up yesterday was Jalen Smith out of Maryland, since it was reported that Miami requested a zoom meeting with him. He’s a 6’10 power forward with a 7’2 wingspan who has an incredible three ball.

This definitely entices Heat fans, since he seems as the perfect fit next to Bam Adebayo. He can score just about everywhere on the floor as well, and is a very active player around the rim, which leads to many put-backs.

And that’s basically what Miami is looking for in a big. It just comes down to their free agency decision. There’s a plethora of bigs available this off-season, which could change Miami’s entire draft board.

Another player that I believe Miami may have their eyes on if he falls in this draft is Theo Maledon.

He’s an interesting fit for Miami, since he was a solid guard defender this past season, while doing it Internationally for France. He’s a very good play-maker as well, since he has a great feel and vision for the game.

His only issue is that he’s not the best shooter, but is that a big deal for this current Heat team?

Obviously you want as much shooting on your roster as possible, but this could form a back-court for the future.

Tyler Herro’s outstanding scoring abilities were on display in his rookie season, which means that these two could possibly be an intriguing fit.

Theo taking the hardest defensive assignments, while being the point guard play-maker on offense. And Tyler utilizing his impressive offensive package. He just seems to be the type of guy that Miami would love to develop.

As mentioned previously as well, there’s a good chance they don’t keep this pick, but if they do, they have plenty of options.

Emmanuel Ogbah

Emmanuel Ogbah channeling the power of #91 for Miami Dolphins

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When the Miami Dolphins started handing out numbers for their offseason additions, many fans were skeptical about handing #91 to a former second round pick who never lived up to the draft day hype. After all, that number, in the hearts of Dolphins fans, belongs to the one and only Cameron Wake. Wake’s ability to rush the passer for Miami was unmatched. To give it to someone like Emmanuel Ogbah didn’t feel right. But as the season drags on, Ogbah appears to be channeling the magic once used by Wake.

In just six games, Ogbah is close to matching his career high in sacks for a season. His fifth sack of the year came on 3rd and 4 in the 4th quarter against the New York Jets. Notorious Dolphins killer Joe Flacco, who up until last Sunday was undefeated against Miami with a 7-0 record, snapped the football and found himself running for his life as safety Eric Rowe came on a blitz. Flacco managed to spin away, only to come face to face with a charging Ogbah. There was no escape for the former Ravens starter, and Emmanuel Ogbah dragged him down for a massive 28-yard loss, knocking the Jets out of field goal range and ultimately preserving the shutout.

“I know a couple of plays before I know I had missed him on one.” Ogbah said after the game. “I just knew he wasn’t going to get away from me this time, and I knew Eric Rowe pulled him up and he came back around, and I just saw him clear as day so I just took my shot.”

And the rest of the players on defense were very happy that Ogbah took that shot. The Jets were driving down the field, the Dolphins were running out of gas, and he came up big just when the team needed him most, just like the former wearer of #91.

“We were excited we made the play, we were a little mad it was Ogbah because normally we don’t like him like that.” DT Christian Wilkins joked. “We just kind of deal with him on the team. You know, no, that was definitely a big play. We were real hype about that. Ogbah has been working his butt off all year, making plays for us on defense, so it was good to see when he can make plays like that, and we were all dead tired, too, at that point, so it was nice to get a little bit of a rest on that one.”

Of Ogbah’s five total sacks this season, four of them have come in the last three weeks. His predecessor wearing that number had streaks like that. However, one thing that Ogbah can do that Wake didn’t do very well is set the edge. Per ProFootballFocus, Ogbah was excellent against the run against the Jets, earning an 82.3 grade in run defense. Naturally, when looking at PFF, those numbers must be taken with a grain of salt. But there is one stat that can’t be ignored. On top of leading the team in sacks and QB hits (10), Ogbah is also tied for first in tackles for a loss with linebacker Elandon Roberts.

This surge of production seemingly came out of nowhere. Miami’s pass rush was abysmal in the first few weeks of the season. However, now the defense seems to have figured everything out. They are now tied for third place in the NFL in points per game allowed. Their third-down defense is the absolute best in the league.

“The first game we have to get used to working together, so I think it took us a little time.” Ogbah said. “But I think we’re on the right path now. We just got to keep it going, keep building.”

That steady improvement has been the key to Miami’s success so far. When the season started, in week one the defense gave up over 200 yards rushing to Cam Newton and the New England Patriots. In week two, they dared the Buffalo Bills and Josh Allen to throw the ball instead. They ended up surrendering over 400 yards passing as a result. The new additions to the team, Ogbah included, appeared to have no impact. All that has changed in the recent weeks. Miami’s defense is coming on strong. The pass rush is igniting, and Ogbah is the spark firing them up.

“These guys like playing together, so when other guys make plays, whether it’s offense, defense, special teams, you see a lot of excitement, a lot of energy.” Head coach Brian Flores said. “Guys were excited for Ogbah to make a play. Guys were excited about the situation, of getting a stop and getting them out of field goal range, and they were excited about the potential to get a shutout. That’s what I like to see, guys enjoying kind of the process of working through the week, prep and preparing, walk throughs, meeting, practice, and then going out and executing on a Sunday afternoon.”

It should be noted that Miami hasn’t shutout an opponent since 2014. Cameron Wake recorded a sack in that game against the San Diego Chargers. Now Ogbah is making a similar impact as the Dolphins strive towards greatness once again.

Some superstitions persist due to emerging patterns. The curse of the Indian burial ground under Hard Rock Stadium is one. Many fans consider #19 to be cursed since the drafting of Ted Ginn Jr. in 2007. Jakeem Grant is doing his best to break that curse. But, perhaps, there are gifts attached to numbers as well. Emmanuel Ogbah doesn’t have the same pass-rushing prowess as Cameron Wake, but his production is just as impressive so far. In the end, it’s production that matters. Even the production that doesn’t show up on a stat sheet.

“I think Ogbah has done a good job.” Flores said on Monday. “He’s played multiple positions, he’s smart, he’s tough. I think for a lot of people, the sacks are the big stat for a lot of people but I think he’s doing a good job in the run game, setting the edge, tackling. When he has to deal with a double-team block, he deals with it and has no problem taking on a double and freeing up another guy. Those are the plays that aren’t flash plays, but they are important plays for any team.”

Will Emmanuel Ogbah replace Cameron Wake in the hearts of Dolphins fans? No, he won’t. #91 will always belong to Cameron Wake when all is said and done. Ogbah came in and signed a 2-year, $15 million dollar contract with Miami to try and revive his career. If he can even come close to living up to Wake’s legacy, Ogbah should have a long, productive career as a member of the Dolphins. Remember, he’s only 26 years old. There’s still plenty of football ahead of him, as long as he can keep channeling that same Wake magic.

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

Dolphins Stock Up, Stock Down vs Jets

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Stock Up & Stock Down

 

Welcome back guys to another installment of Stock Up Stock Down. In Week 6 of the 2020 NFL season your Miami Dolphins took care of business for the first home victory of the year against an inferior opponent in the New York Jets. For the first time since 2014 our Miami Dolphins pitched a shutout and ultimately came out on top 24-0 heading into a bye next week. With so much to dissect let’s dive right in:

 

 

Stock Up

Myles Gaskin:

I really went at Gaskin last week because of his lack of game changing plays and only being able to get the 2 or 3 yards that the offensive line got for him. A week of having a potential replacement in Le’Veon Bell come in must have been what Myles needed to get some extra pep in his step. All afternoon long he churned out tough yards by driving his shoulder and gaining extra yards to the tune of 5.05 yards per carry. In total his 126 yards from scrimmage became the first Miami Dolphins RB to pass 120 yards from scrimmage since Kalen Ballage did it in December of 2018.

Eric Rowe:

After spending some time on my twitter this week analyzing Eric, I think I may need to spend some additional time this week on him because he was literally everywhere on Sunday. Totaling 9 tackles, 7 solo, and 1 PD for good measure as well. A week after shutting Kittle down and after a game like this his confidence, and rightfully so, is through the roof. Eric can cover in man or zone; he can play in the box and stop the run. Game after game Eric shows us that not only does he belong as a starting SS in the NFL but that he also belongs in the conversation as top 10 SS in the game.

Defensive Line:

The return on investment on the defensive of line has been a slow and steady one that in recent weeks has really begun to turn the corner. This was one of Christian Wilkins best games of his young career finishing with 5 tackles, 1 sack, 1 TFL, and 1 PD! A busy afternoon for 94 before you stop to consider how he runs into the field each time the offense scores a TD or when he jumps over teammates:

Another investment that’s paying off is Emmanuel Ogbah. Slowly without even realizing Ogbah is leading us in sacks with 5 which is significant because Taco Charlton lead us last year with 5 sacks total all year whereas it only took Emmanuel 6 weeks. Another key stat on Ogbah:

Xavien Howard:

I hope people realize that this is the Xavien Howard the Miami Dolphins made the highest paid CB in the game 2 off seasons ago (perfect timing as other higher priced contracts came and have left this one looking pretty team friendly). After a slow start to the year that included a disaster of a performance against the Buffalo Bills, where every pass that went his way was completed, Xavien has recorded an int in every game since. He now has a total of 4 interceptions on the year which is tied for the league lead. Every year Xavien has shown us what a true shut down and ball hawk corner he can be when healthy, let’s hope his health continues the way it has this year.

Tua Tagovailoa:

I truly struggled to contain my excitement in waiting to write about how we finally got to see Tua Tagovailoa touch an NFL field. In a moment that truly felt like one of those moments that everyone remembers exactly where they were when it happened. With 2:27 left in the 4thquarter and the score 24-0, Coach Flores finally made the decision to let us see the kid play and he did not disappoint. Some may question what a QB could do to really impress in that situation and moment in the game. Let me explain that while the Dolphins were indeed up 24 points against the lowly jets, heading into the final drive we were an abysmal 0/8 on third downs for the day. First play a gorgeous looking handoff (lol) to Breida for 1 yard. 2nd down Gailey played to Tua’s strength and rolled him out to his left where he hit Patrick Laird for his first completion in the NFL for 2 yards leading to a 3rd and 7. Tua from shotgun took a 3 step drop, saw where the blitz was coming from, knew that he had to look the safety off to give Jakeem the wide open area needed to get the first down. I am foaming at the mouth to get my eyes on the All-22 and see what happened over and over and over.

Stock Down

Jordan Howard:

On top of the fact that Myles actually found some success, a second week in a row does not bode well for Jordan’s long-term outlook here. Unfortunately, because Jordan does nothing on special teams and Myles being given work horse duties, Breida is the obvious choice because of his special team history. Injuries aside I do not see how Howard eventually earns himself some playing time.

Matt Breida:

2 weeks of a clear number 2 RB duties and Breida has failed to make little to no impact. 15 carries for 43 yards comes to 2.8 yards rushing per attempt which is dreadful without needing analysis. This week we had Le’Veon Bell as a headline for possibly coming to Miami and really could have been an excellent acquisition if able to pull off but unfortunately it did not so we will have to do with what we got unless Grier and the Front Office decide to make a move over the Bye Week and before the trade deadline.

Andrew Van Ginkel:

Last week was given a clear shot as a replacement for Shaq Lawson and thrived in that role. With Shaq back this week and KVN out, Flores decided to try to put AVG in KVN spot to start the game which lead to some terrible penalties and overall sloppy play. This lead to a limit of AVG snaps on the game with only 17 plays on defense which was only 24% overall. Van Ginkel will need to sharpen his overall game as he as being tasked to be the swiss army knife that can line up anywhere and do anything to throw off an offense.

Rush Defense:

Its mind boggling to see a team that was up 3 scores for well over half the game and that also did not give up a single point can also still allow a team with no passing game threat to go for 124 yards rushing on 5.2 yards per carry. Last week the same thing happened where if the other team has a lead, they probably gut us for 200+ yards rushing. Against inferior competition like the Jets things like this may slide but no that we are 2nd in the AFC East, we can start to seriously entertain the thought of meaningful games in November and December.

Ryan Fitzpatrick:

For the second straight week the Offense has been unable to keep the momentum of the first half flowing into the second half. This week after being up 21-0 heading into halftime the Ryan Fitzpatrick lead offense was only able to score a field goal for 30 minutes of play. All game long Fitzpatrick was either unwilling or unable to take shots to his weapons outside of DVP who had 8 targets but only 3 catches. What compounds the problem is that I have never seen a game that a team can be up 24-0 and on the final drive still be 0/8 on third down. As much as we love Fitzpatrick and everything he does and stands for, eventually we will have to realize that Tua accomplished in 1 drive what Fitz could not do all afternoon long against a winless and lifeless New York Jets team.

Overall this win puts us back at .500 for the first time all year heading into a Bye Week where we get time to prepare to host a LA Rams team that will be traveling cross country for a 1pm game. Till next time guys, Fins Up!

This was written By: Juan Cardona

Is Jerami Grant a Good Fit For Miami?

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Well, what else is new. Another free agent that is expressing interest in the Miami Heat.

This one is definitely intriguing for Miami, since Jerami Grant is a young and emerging player right now.

For starters, he will most likely be opting out of the last year of his deal, which is $9 million. Miami currently has a $9.3 Million Mid-Level Exception that they can offer as well. He may have some interest in Miami, but does Miami express the same interest?

I actually believe not. For one, if Miami will be going after a free agent power forward or big, it will not be to the likes of a Derrick Jones Jr type player.

Miami wasn’t even giving DJJ any run during this bubble run, so what makes you think they make a big push to throw a bunch of money at him.

He does bring some positive aspects to this team, such as his defensive abilities. He is labeled as a guy that can guard almost every position, but once again, so was Derrick Jones Jr this season.

And this is not to keep reiterating that these two are equivalent, but just to point out that this may not be the guy Miami will go all in for.

Jerami has made some huge strides in his game though this season on the offensive side of the ball. He now has a respectable three ball and takes initiative to put the ball down and attack the rim. These attributes definitely mean that he will have a bunch of teams taking a long look at him this off-season, but I’m just not so sure it will be Miami.

He is also very capable of making more money than a $9 Million Mid-Level Exception. And when he gets that offer, he will most likely take it.

There will be many young teams with cap space, such as the Phoenix Suns, who would love to bring in an evolving player like Jerami Grant.

Miami, on the other hand, has their eyes on a prize much bigger.

Dolphins Win Jets

5 Takeaways from Dolphins Win Over the Jets

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The Miami Dolphins dominated the New York Jets on Sunday. The Dolphins 24-0 win stands as the team’s first shutout since 2014. Improving to 3-3 on the year marks the first time in the Brian Flores era that Miami has been at .500. With the Jets floundering to 0-6 under Miami’s former head coach Adam Gase, it becomes more clear with each passing week that the Dolphins have the right leader in Flores.

Here’s a look at five takeaways from the Dolphins win over the Jets.

Dolphins D Dominant in Win Over Jets

The Dolphins haven’t shut out an opponent since they blanked San Diego six seasons ago. They hadn’t shut out the Jets since the 1983 AFC Championship game. The defense’s domination delighted Dolphins fans as they shut down the purported “offensive guru” Gase.

Miami’s defense elevated its play on Sunday, limiting the Jets to 2-of-17 on third down tries. For the season, the Dolphins top the NFL in third-down defense, allowing just 31.3 percent of conversions. Miami stands fourth in scoring defense (18.8 points-per-game) and sixth in sacks (17).

In the win over the Jets, the Dolphins held Flacco to 148 net passing yards. Last week, the Dolphins surrendered just 128 net passing yards to San Francisco, making this effort the first since 2010 Miami has limited opponents to fewer than 150 net passing yards in consecutive games.

The defense kept the Jets to just 93 yards in the first half, allowing just five first downs and forcing six punts. This helped Miami build a 21-0 halftime lead.

Ogbah, a Great Investment

Among the other free agent additions for 2020, Emmanuel Ogbah’s name might have been an afterthought. But he’s become a force for this defense in the pass rush.

Ogbah recorded two sacks in the Dolphins win over the Jets. His effort stands as Miami’s first two-sack performance since Cam Wake and Akeem Spence both had a pair of sacks versus the Jets in November 2018. Ogbah’s now recorded five sacks this season, tied for second-most in the AFC. Sunday also saw him register six QB hurries and two more QB hits.

The Dolphins are getting the most out of their two-year, $15 million investment in Ogbah. He’s registered a sack in three straight games and at least half a sack in five straight. He’s just a half-sack shy of his career high (5.5)

Howard Returned to Form

Xavien Howard registered his fourth interception of the season after he picked off Joe Flacco in the second quarter. Howard has clearly returned to his 2018 ballhawking form after a knee injury limited him to just five games last season.

Sunday marked the fourth straight game with an interception for Howard. His four-game streak is the second-longest in team history, behind safety Dick Westmoreland (five straight games with an INT in 1967). Howard’s four picks this season are tied for most in the NFL and he’s ninth in pass-breakups (6). His 16 interceptions since December 2017 are the most in the NFL in that span. He’s made an interception in 11 of his 46 career games.

Adding Byron Jones aided this secondary and Howard specifically, but Howard has elevated his play in 2020. He’s held opposing quarterbacks to 12-of-26 passing (46.2 percent) with just one touchdown and four interceptions.

Gaskin, a Bell Cow?

Seemingly overlooked this offseason with the additions of Matt Breida and Jordan Howard, Myles Gaskin felt like the forgotten man amid all of the Le’Veon Bell chatter this week. Gaskin posted a video to social media of his highlights, then followed that with his best performance as a pro.

Gaskin gained a career-high 91 rushing yards on 18 carries (5.1 average). He added four receptions for 35 yards as well. His 126 all-purpose yards also set a new career-high for the second-year running back. The last time the Miami saw a running back total at least 126 scrimmage yards was Kenyan Drake’s 193 performance versus New England in December 2017. Gaskin’s 91 rushing yards are the most by a Dolphins RB since Kalen Ballage ran for 123 yards versus Minnesota in December 2018.

Gaskin’s emergence as a legitimate NFL starter belies his seventh-round pedigree. He continues to take a larger share of the running responsibilities, and his ability as a pass-catcher helps keep opposing defenses honest. Gaskin’s play has resulted in back-to-back healthy scratches for Jordan Howard.

Bye Week Comes After Dolphins Win Over Jets

The Miami Dolphins saw their scheduled shuffled by the NFL last week. In the wake of COVID-19 positives for the New England Patriots, the league changed the schedules for eight different teams. For the Dolphins, that meant they faced New York in Week 6 instead of Denver. It also means Week 7 becomes their bye, instead of Week 11.

The Bye comes at the right time for the Dolphins, as several veterans are hobbled. Linebacker Kyle Van Noy landed among the inactives after groin and foot injuries limited his participation in practice this week. During the game, linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel exited in the second quarter to be evaluated for a concussion. He did not return.

Linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill hurt his hand in the third quarter. In the fourth, wide receiver DeVante Parker (groin) and defensive tackle Raekwon Davis (shoulder) also sustained injuries. The early Bye affords these players a week of healing and rest ahead of an important stretch for the Dolphins.

Miami has a slate of six winnable game ahead of them, and they’ll need a 5-1 or 4-2 stretch to set themselves up for the playoffs. According to Tankathon.com, the Dolphins have the 10th-easiest remaining based on strength of schedule. They’ll need to bank wins here over the next few weeks, as their final four games see Miami play the Chiefs and the Patriots at home, then travel to Las Vegas and Buffalo to finish.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Could Miami Still Be Eyeing DeMar DeRozan?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I believe so.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Spacing

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

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

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

Offensive Rebounding

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

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

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

Post-Ups

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

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

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

Rim Protection

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

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

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

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

Dolphins Jets

5 Keys to Week 6: Dolphins vs Jets

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The Miami Dolphins return home to face their longtime rival, the New York Jets, who are winless and rudderless. Former Dolphins head coach Adam Gase finds himself on the hot seat after another disappointing start to a season and having alienated another star.

Meanwhile, Brian Flores, Miami’s current head coach, continues to foster a positive culture, built around communication and cohesion.

“It’s about having the right people, having the right cohesive group,” said Flores on a conference call on Wednesday. “It’s about communication. I think it’s about having good people who are team-first, selfless and want to do things for the greater good. People who are tough, who are smart, who are competitive, put the team first and people who love to do what they’re doing.”

Flores maintains the Dolphins are still building, but he’s laid a solid foundation. Something Gase never did in Miami.

Here’s a look at five keys to the Dolphins Week 6 matchup against the floundering New York Jets.

Dolphins v Jets: Get Points Early

The Dolphins stand at 2-3 and both of their wins can be characterized in the same way: Offense scored early. In those victories, Miami raced out to early 14-0 leads. Against both Jacksonville and San Francisco, the Dolphins controlled the pace early and forced the opposing offenses to become one dimensional in an effort to play catchup.

“We always talk about playing fast, starting fast. It’s something that we harp on, on a weekly basis,” Flores said earlier this week.

The Jets offense struggles to score. New York sits 32nd in points-per-game (15.0) and total points (75). They’re a minus-86 In point differential this season, which is staggeringly bad. That figure is 36 points greater than the next closest differential.

If the Dolphins can get on the board early and demoralize New York, there’s a good chance the Jets will quit on Gase and roll over. Gase may not leave Miami with his job.

Attack the Quarterback

In Miami’s two wins this season, they’ve tallied eight sacks and 19 quarterback hits. While they’ve struggled to contain mobile quarterbacks, Dolphins defenders have teed off against more stationary targets.

With 35-year-old Joe Flacco making the start for the Jets, the fear of a running quarterback is completely absent. Against San Francisco, the Dolphins brought pressure facing a hobbled Jimmy Garoppolo and his replacement, C.J. Beathard. Miami registered five sacks and eight pressures.

The defense should employ multiple fronts to make identifying the pressure difficult for the Jets’ offensive line. The return of Byron Jones last week saw Miami shift to more man-coverage, and certainly helped Xavien Howard, who picked up an interception in a third-straight game.

Miami needs to attack Flacco, especially considering the Jets have surrendered 15 sacks this season (8th-most).

Get Vertical on Offense

The Dolphins offense opened last week with a 47-yard connection from Ryan Fitzpatrick to Preston Williams. That set the tone for an offensive onslaught that tallied 43 points on the road. And facing a Jets defense that surrenders 265.6 passing-yards-per-game (8th-most), those opportunities should be there as well.

Last week, New York surrendered 380 passing yards to Arizona’s Kyler Murray. For the season, the Jets surrender a 100.2 passer rating and over eight yards-per-attempt. Their secondary allows over 70 percent of passes to be caught.

Last season against New York, Fitzpatrick completed three passes on throws of over 20 yards. Those three completions went for 72 yards and a touchdown. Against the 49ers, Fitzpatrick completed five throws of over 20 yards for 199 yards and two touchdowns.

Miami features big targets on the outside, including Williams, DeVante Parker and tight end Mike Gesicki. Those three dominated the Jets at home last season, combining for 15 catches, 224 yards and three touchdowns. Going vertical should open the running lanes for Myles Gaskin, who’s averaging just 3.9 yards-per-carry.

Finally Figure Out Flacco

Flacco remains undefeated in his career against the Dolphins. He sports a career 6-0 record versus Miami. He’s completed 72 percent of his attempts for 1,518 yards and 10 touchdowns. Flacco has thrown only three interceptions versus the Dolphins.

That said, all Flacco’s victories came while he quarterbacked the Baltimore Ravens. And this Jets roster is largely devoid of talent at this point.

Against the Cardinals, Flacco made his first start since Week 8 last season. He completed 18-of-33 passes for 195 yards and one touchdown. The Jets offense struggled on third down, where they converted only four of 13 tries. On the season, New York converts 34.7 percent of third down tries, the fifth-worst rate in the league this season. Meanwhile, the Dolphins allow just 38 percent of third down conversions, the seventh-best rate.

Miami’s secondary will need to key on Jamison Crowder, the Jets most dynamic offensive weapon. Crowder is primarily a slot receiver and currently leads the league with 111.7 yards-per-game.

Dolphins Need to Maintain Focus Against the Jets

The Dolphins enter this game as favorites for the first time in the Flores era. Miami hasn’t been favored in a game since December 2018 (21 games). They’re favored by more than a touchdown for the first time since November of 2016. As a team, the Dolphins haven’t won back-to-back games by double digits since 2015. That said, the Jets have lost each game this season by at least nine points.

This contest has all the making of a trap game. The Dolphins need a win to inject themselves into the playoff race. In addition to that, they’ll need to maintain focus against an opponent that wasn’t originally their scheduled one for this week.

The NFL’s changes seriously altered Miami’s schedule, but the players didn’t seem to care.

“It is what it is, it’s no big deal,” Gesicki said.

Howard voiced a similar sentiment. “It doesn’t matter which team is next. We just have to focus on the game plan.”

With the bye week now upcoming, Miami can’t have a letdown against the Jets. They’ll need to maintain their focus and discipline.

The Dolphins remain one of the league’s least penalized teams, having been flagged just 23 times for 195 yards through five games. The Jets, meanwhile, have committed 38 penalties for 365 yards, a characteristic consistent with Adam Gase teams.

Gase’s culture of alienating stars and blaming players has continued in New York. The Jets now turn to former Miami Hurricane and Dolphins, Frank Gore, who is starting to show his age with just 3.2 yards-per-carry in 2020, and rookie La’Mical Perine in the wake of Le’Veon Bell’s departure.

The Dolphins should handle their business here and win this ballgame. This starts a stretch of seven very winnable games for Miami. If they can emerge from this with a 5-2 of 6-1 record, they’ll be poised for a serious playoff push heading into a very difficult final four games in 2020.