3. Jimmer Fredette
There was a time when Jimmer Fredette was one of the hottest names in American sports. Now, the former BYU stud is plugging away in the D-League with the Westchester Knicks. Fredette is enjoying a fine season, shooting 47.9 percent from 3-point range, 50.7 percent from the field and scoring 23.7 points per game.
The knock against Fredette is that he’s slow, stubborn and can’t do anything outside of shoot open shots. He got a tryout from the San Antonio Spurs in October, but he didn’t make the team. That means (a) Gregg Popovich saw something he liked and (b) then he saw something he didn’t like. Take that for what it’s worth. It’s hard to tell if Fredette has any potential, but he’ll probably get another NBA shot at some point.
The Heat could be an interesting spot for him. Miami plays at a slow pace (even if they don’t want to), especially when Dwyane Wade and Hassan Whiteside share the court. Fredette could, theoretically, slot in next to Wade in that lineup. Wade could run pick-and-rolls with Whiteside and if the opponent closes off the lob to Whiteside, Wade could kick out to Fredette who is standing neatly in the corner or along the elbow of the 3-point line.
Seems nice. But that’s always been the thing with Jimmer. It’s always better in theory.
Next: Reliable Vet