The basketball gods have flexed their mighty muscles, taking away Josh McRoberts for what could be the rest of the season with a torn meniscus, and Miami Heat fans could have a hard time seeing the bigger picture. The inconvenient truth is that McRoberts never got into a groove with the Heat–dealing with a toe surgery, foot blister, the flu, a bruised knee, a ripped jersey and now this over the first 24 games of the season.
With the hope of ball movement and spacing McRoberts seemingly promised, the Heat saw that in about as many games as you have fingers on your right hand. And, really, it was never on full blast. Even when McRoberts was healthy, others weren’t. Dwyane Wade‘s missed games with knee problems and that nasty flu going around the locker room. Norris Cole‘s missed games with a dislocated finger. Danny Granger, for better or for worse, missed time and Chris Andersen missed nine straight.
The projected starting lineup of Cole, Wade, Deng, McRoberts and Bosh has played a measly FOUR games together for a total of just 34 minutes. Meanwhile, that lineup outscored opponents by 22 points every 100 possessions, according to NBA.com/Stats. That starting five would rank fourth in the NBA among heavily-used lineups.*
Unfortunately we won’t likely see that lineup for the rest of the season. When McRoberts came off the bench for Miami’s first handful of games, Shawne Williams got the start in his place. That starting lineup is +0.4… so not as good.
To make matters worse, the Heat will also be without Chris Bosh, who is out indefinitely with a calf strain. Without McRoberts and Bosh, Miami’s offense will be dehorned without either big man playing on the elbow. In the team’s first game without them, the Heat started a dreadfully limited front-court combination of Justin Hamilton and Udonis Haslem–a duo as likely to score as Sheldon Cooper in a room full of Playmates.
So what do the Heat do without McBosh? The most obvious choice is start Williams and Hamilton. Williams, the team’s best three-point shooter, can space the floor while Hamilton is mobile enough to at least mimic the moving around the floor that Bosh does.** Or the Heat can start Williams and Andersen, who would provide some rim protection from the tip. But Erik Spoelstra has been intent on bringing Birdman off the bench during his time in Miami and I see no reason why he would stop now.
The dark-horse option could be Hassan Whiteside–recently signed and called back up from the D-League. Whiteside scored 21 points on 10-of-11 shooting in his first game with the Sioux Falls Skyforce. According to the Miami Herald’s Joseph Goodman, Whiteside is expected to play “heavy minutes” against the Nets Tuesday.
Nov 9, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; Miami Heat center Chris Bosh (1) and forward Josh McRoberts (4) and Dallas Mavericks forward
Richard Jefferson(24) during the game at the American Airlines Center. The Heat defeated the Mavericks 105-96. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
If McRoberts is ruled out for the season, the Heat could apply for a disabled-player exception from the NBA worth $2.65 million. That could give the Heat some money to play around with. They could use it to acquire a player off waivers or in a trade who is on the last year of his deal, or use it to sign a free agent. The Heat would have to cut someone to sign someone.
Or they could go the opposite way and tank. They certainly have the incentive, with their first round pick top-10 protected. But that goes against the very DNA of Pat Riley. Even if Heat fans want it badly, it’s not going to happen. Plus, that would waste one more good year out of Dwyane Wade and year of prime Chris Bosh. In a week Eastern Conference, it makes more sense for the Heat to make a move to replace McRoberts than to join Philadelphia at the losers’ table.
But the idea that we are talking about tanking because McRoberts–a guy that Charlotte let walk away–speaks to how little depth this team had in the first place. Miami’s not in a good place. It will take the improved play of guys already on the roster and a roster move of some kind to right the ship. This team will certainly try, so Heat fans have that to look forward to.
*Behind Cleveland’s Irving, James, Marion, Love and Thompson (+35.5) and two Golden State lineups of Curry, Thompson, Iguodala/Barnes, Green and Bogut (+32.2 and +27.7).
**That lineup has played 29 minutes in five games and is +6 per 100 possessions.