Miami Heat RTD: Summer League Musings
By Wes Goldberg
Who was your favorite Heat Summer Leaguer not named Winslow or Richardson?
Wes: I’ve got to go with Big Joshua Smith, who made the most of his opportunity after Orlando fan favorite Willie Reed signed with the Brooklyn Nets. Smith–all 360 pounds of him–has a soft touch on his shots and passes. He has decent positioning on defense and the obvious size to clog the lane. He won’t make a 15-man roster this season–not until he loses some weight–but keep an eye on him. It’s hard not to.
Allana: I have to be honest, I was not able to watch as many games as I would have liked to. However, before he broke his jaw (yikes), I was really feeling Tyler Johnson. He barely had a chance to play for the Heat during the regular season, but definitely took off in the Summer League. He had a 12 point, 4 rebound, 4 assist game against the Brooklyn Nets, and ended up averaging 9.3, 4 and 2.3 in the three games that he played. It sucks that he got injured so early on (well, that he got injured at all obviously) but he certainly caught my eye. Wishing you a speedy recovery, Tyler!
Ehsan: I only watched the Orlando Summer League, but from what I did watch, I loved Shabazz Napier. I do believe he has all the tools to be a decent point guard in the league. Learning under Dragic should also help his development. I’m not sure how fits into Miami’s plans long-term, but I think he breaks out in 2015/2016.
Chris: A moment of silence for the loss of future Hall of Famer Willie Reed. Our time together was short, but you made an impact. But some birds aren’t meant to be caged; their wings are just too bright. Sadly, he’s going to Brooklyn. But to answer this question, I’m sticking with Napier. He looked like a different player, playing with confidence and a bit of swagger. Definitely more “UConn Napier” and not “Deer In Headlights Napier”. I think having Goran Dragic to learn from as opposed to the former Crash Brothers (RIP, Chalmers/Norris Cole tandem) will also give Napier a boost in his progression. He has a lot to prove in camp.
Joseph: Definitely a fan of Joshua Smith. At first, I just liked him because of his portly exterior, but after watching him a few times, he actually impressed me. He looks pretty solid defensively, but he probably won’t get a chance on an NBA roster until he loses 20-30 pounds. I hope he finds a way to succeed without losing weight. The bigger he is, the more fun Smith is to watch.
Kristopher: Although he has experience on the NBA level already (making him ahead of the curve), I’m leaning toward Tyler Johnson. He showed great aggressiveness and an improvement in his overall game before going down with his injury.