Miami Heat player preview: Tyler Johnson

With Dwayne Wade gone and Josh Richardson hobbled to start the season, Miami Heat guard Tyler Johnson could excel this season.

Tyler Johnson has done pretty well for himself this summer.

He re-signed with the Miami Heat for $50 million over four seasons. He then celebrated his contract signing by purchasing an impressive $5 million Pinecrest mansion. Not bad for an undrafted player out of Fresno State.

Whilst Justise Winslow and Josh Richardson were terrific finds as rookies for the Heat last season, ‘Bumpy’ could almost place himself in the same category.

Johnson has played just 68 games in the NBA since his debut on January 13, 2015. His initial stint with the Heat came via the D-League, where he was playing with the Heat’s affiliate Sioux Falls Skyforce. It wasn’t until the completion of two separate 10-day contracts that the Heat fully invested in him, signing him until the end of this past season.

And despite the off-season departure of franchise legend Dwyane Wade, Johnson has his work cut for him this season. The Heat find themselves with a rather crowded backcourt. Incumbant guards Goran Dragic, Richardson and Beno Udrih feature along with newcomers Dion Waiters and Wayne Ellington.

Each player obviously brings different skills to the table, and the process of managing these players and finding the right combinations will likely determine which guards play the most minutes.

Above are some of Johnson’s highlights from his D-League journey prior to the NBA.

Let’s break down what Johnson has done, what his strengths and weaknesses are, and project what comes next for the upstart guard.