Justise Winslow says he wants to be a ‘force of nature in transition’

Sure, Justise Winslow needs to improve his jump shot, but focusing only on that would limit his potential and impact for the Miami Heat.

After an impressive rookie season, Miami Heat forward Justise Winslow’s sophomore year was cut short due to undergoing shoulder surgery after just 18 games. Since then, he’s been rehabbing his body and working on his game so that he can bounce back and make the leap so many expected of him in his second year.

He was supposed to play a major role for the Heat following the departure of Dwyane Wade and the absence of Chris Bosh. Early in the season, Winslow handled the ball more and was often times asked to create shots for himself and his teammates. It was an adjustment, and he struggled at times, but progress was being made.

Winslow’s usage rate soared from 12.5 percent in his first year to 19.8 percent in his second. His assist percentage increased while his turnover percentage decreased–a good sign–and he finished the season averaging 10.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.

His major flaw, however, has been his shooting. Winslow made just 35.6 percent of his shots last season (A lot of his shots were difficult, due to his having to create so much, but he missed a bunch of open looks, too.) and just 20 percent of his 3-point attempts.

Winslow knows he need to improve his jumper and, as he told Sports Illustrated’s Rohan Nadkarni, his rehab allowed him to focus on his shooting form and get back to basics. But that’s not the only thing he’s working on.

"I’m working on all aspects of my game. I want to be a force of nature in transition. We have a young team, so we’ll be trying to get up and down. Whether it’s getting the rebound and pushing, or getting the rebound and kicking it to someone in space, being able to hit Hassan [Whiteside] on the lob, I want to go out there and make winning plays for my team. My workouts are very different from your normal NBA player. As the NBA continues to change, you see these versatile players. Guys like [Andre] Iguodala who can do everything on the court, or LeBron, who is everything. Those type of guys are who I want to be. I never limit myself in anything that I do."

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A lot of fans and media tend to focus on Winslow’s jumper, and for good reason. If he doesn’t make drastic improvements, he’ll become a liability on offense. Teams will play off of him, further crowding the personal space of his teammates like Goran Dragic and Dion Waiters. Spacing, we know, is important in today’s game.

Andre Iguodala is a good role model. He’s not a knock-down shooter (he made 36 percent of his 3s last season) but is good enough that opponents have to respect him.

Winslow’s jumper will improve with time. He’ll probably never become a great shooter, but even average is a big jump from where he’s at now.

What makes Iguodala special are all the other things he does. He’s an unselfish player and talented passer, who works for rebounds and plays great defense. He sets good screens for teammates and takes pressure off of them by making the right decisions. In other words, he does all of the little things. Those “winning basketball plays” head coach Erik Spoelstra talks so often about.

Focusing on his transition game is smart. The Heat will want to play fast next season. Fold Winslow’s athleticism, rebounding and ball handling into the offense and Miami’s transition game becomes potentially deadly. Young players often thrive in the open floor, and beating opponents in transition should take the pressure off of Winslow’s struggles in a half-court offense.

Next: Can Dion Waiters become the All-Star the Heat are missing?

It’s easy to imagine Winslow guarding the opponent’s top scorer, forcing a missed shot, grabbing a long rebound, taking off down the court and either finishing at the rim or finding an open teammate in transition.

These are all the things Iguodala does for the Golden State Warriors. If Winslow can become for the Heat what Iguodala is for the defending champs, people won’t talk so much about his jumper.