Who are the top 10 small forwards in Miami Heat history? LeBron James is clearly at the top, but a few may surprise you.
The Miami Heat have been one of the better organizations in the NBA since its inception in 1988, and its relatively short history is filled with some of the biggest names to play in the league in the last 30 years.
With LeBron James gracing the Heat for four years, Miami was home to the best player the NBA has seen in the last 15 years, and undoubtedly the top small forward during that time and quite possibly of all time.
The likes of Luol Deng, a league-wide darling because of his temperament and work ethic, recently left the team to sign one last huge deal with the Lakers. Deng replaced LeBron in 2014, and now both are gone. Justise Winslow beckons a new era in Heat history.
How do they, and the other small forwards in Miami’s storied history, stack up?
Next: 10. A Promising Start
10. Justise Winslow
Following just one year at Duke, Justise Winslow has demonstrated the ability to be considered one of the premiere wing defenders in the league.
Starting eight out of 78 completed games in his solitary season to date, Winslow found himself consistently playing crunch-time minutes as he quickly earned the trust of head coach Erik Spoelstra, such was the high level he performed at the defensive end.
Offensively is where Winslow needs to develop, in particular from behind the three-point line. Already strongly built, Winslow has demonstrated great efficiency finishing close to the rim and on the fast break, but the Heat will be hoping he can follow in a similar suit to San Antonio Spurs superstar Kawhi Leonard, whom like Winslow was a shaky outside shooter to commence his career.
1 season; 78 games; 6.4 points per game; 5.2 rebounds per game; 0.9 steals per game; 42.2 per cent field goal percentage; 28.6 minutes per game.
Next: 9. James Posey
9. James Posey
Acquired in the largest trade in NBA history involving 13 players, James Posey proved to be an exceptional acquisition, playing a key role in the Heat claiming their first title in 2006.
Starting 63 out of 67 in his first season, Posey proved to be a vital cog of what would become the eventual NBA champions. His ability to play high-quality win defense, combined with his excellent three-point shooting (40.3 percent in 2005-06) and overall experience was an ideal compliment to Heat all-stars Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O’Neal.
Although he came off the bench predominately throughout the playoffs, his defensive efforts in particular certainly did not go unnoticed.
2 seasons; 138 games; 7.5 points per game; 4.9 rebounds per game; 39.0 three-point percentage; 27.8 minutes per game; 1 NBA title
Next: 8. Antoine Walker
8. Antoine Walker
Antoine Walker arrived with Posey in the same 13-player deal and, like Posey, proved to be a vital component of the Heat’s 2006 debut title.
Having previously been a three-time NBA all star during his stint with the Boston Celtics, Walker found the adjustment to the Heat difficult initially, starting just 19 of 82 regular season games.
In the playoffs however, he would excel, starting all 23 games, playing 37.5 minutes per game and contributing 13.3 points per game and 5.6 rebounds per game.
Like Posey, Walker lasted just two seasons with the Heat, however his contribution to their first ever title was invaluable.
2 seasons; 160 games; 10.4 points per game; 4.8 rebounds per game; 25.1 minutes per game; 1 NBA title
Next: 7. Caron Butler
7. Caron Butler
Arriving to the Heat as the 10th overall pick of the 2002 NBA draft, Caron Butler quickly demonstrated why the Heat valued him so much coming out of college.
He was a member of the 2003 All-NBA Rookie first team where he averaged an impressive 15.4 points per game and 5.1 rebounds per game. His second season with the Heat was heavily interrupted due to injury, and hence he didn’t get to follow up on his terrific debut season.
Following his second season, the Heat made the hard decision to package Butler away in order to obtain all-star center Shaquille O’Neal. The fact that he went onto become a two-time all star in Washington, and an NBA champion with the Dallas Mavericks, demonstrates the talent Butler possessed.
2 seasons; 146 games; 12.5 points per game; 5.0 rebounds per game; 33.5 minutes per game
Next: 6. Billy Owens
6. Billy Owens
Billy Owens is another in a long line of Heat small forwards who while they lasted only a short period with the team, demonstrated an exceptional level of talent in that time.
A No. 3 overall pick entering the league, Owens was acquired via trade and put up some impressive numbers in his short stint in Miami. A highly versatile player, Owens was predominately a small forward but possessed the ability to play a number of positions due to his size and ball-handling abilities.
However as talented as he was, Owens was shown the door midway through his second season as newly arrived Pat Riley began to make his stamp on the team.
2 seasons; 110 games; 14.5 points per game; 7.2 rebounds per game; 3.5 assists per game; 33.5 minutes per game
Next: 5. Luol Deng
5. Luol Deng
Whilst Luol Deng also lasted just two seasons with the Heat, he demonstrated to a tee the profile of a Heat player with his always selfless play and ability to do whatever was necessary for the team.
A two-time all-star prior to arriving in Miami, Deng took a back-seat offensively to Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh and was essentially a glue-guy for the team on both ends of the floor.
During his second season, Deng particularly excelled when given extra freedom due to the recurring absence of Bosh.
Whilst the Heat would loved to have retained Deng after this past season, the $72 million contract afforded him by the Los Angeles Lakers demonstrates just how valuable a locker-room presence and teammate Deng has been throughout his career.
2 seasons; 146 games; 13.1 points per game; 5.6 rebounds per game; 46.2 field goal percentage; 33 minutes per game
Next: 4. Shane Battier
4. Shane Battier
Shane Battier arrived at the Heat at the perfect time. Already a 10-year veteran in the league, Battier came following the Heat’s capitulation at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks in the 2011 NBA Finals.
On numbers alone, Battier definitely doesn’t jump off the stats sheet. He started just 10 games in his first season with the Heat, however his contribution increased largely in the playoffs that year due to the injury to Chris Bosh.
Over his three seasons with the Heat, Battier proved why he was regarded as one of the smartest players in the league, and his ability to defend multiple positions and hit the three-point shot were instrumental in the Heat winning back-to back titles in 2012 and 2013.
3 seasons; 210 games; 5.1 points per game; 2.2 rebounds per game; 38.2 per cent three point percentage; 22.6 minutes per game; 2 NBA titles
Next: 3. Jamal Mashburn
3. Jamal Mashburn
Acquired via trade, Jamal Mashburn demonstrated when healthy why he was one of the most versatile scoring small forwards in the league through his career.
It was unfortunate that for much of Mashburn’s time with the Heat that injury prevented him from reaching his peak during that period.
His best season came in his fourth and final year with the Heat, where he posted numbers of 17.5 points per game, 5.0 rebounds per game and 3.9 assists per game in 37.2 minutes per game.
The fact that he posted more than 20.0 points per game in the four seasons after leaving the Heat illustrates what an elite scorer Mashburn could be when healthy.
4 seasons; 180 games; 15.8 points per game; 5.2 rebounds per game; 3.4 assists per game; 36.7 minutes per game
Next: 2. Glen Rice
2. Glen Rice
Arriving to the Heat in just the Heat’s second season as a franchise, Glen Rice quickly demonstrated why he would be renowned as one of the greatest sharp-shooters in the game.
The fourth overall pick in the 1989 NBA Draft, Rice typified his shooting process by winning the three-point shooting contest at the 1995 NBA All-Star weekend in Phoenix.
Further, Rice twice managed to average 22.3 points per game in his six seasons with the Heat, which included hitting 41.0 per cent from three-point range in 1995-96.
After leaving the Heat, Rice continued to cement his spot amongst the all-time greatest shooters by becoming a three-time all-star.
6 seasons; 19.4 points per game; 4.9 rebounds per game; 38.6 three-point percentage; 35.7 minutes per game.
Next: 1. LeBron James
1. LeBron James
Arguably the greatest small-forward of all time, James simply did it all in his majestic stint with the Heat.
Aside from the meltdown in the 2011 NBA Finals, Heat fans could not have asked for more from James. The team enjoyed four consecutive NBA Finals appearances in his time, which included back-to-back titles in 2012 and 2013. James also won league MVP in each of the title years, bringing his total number to four.
Perhaps the most defining moment of James’ period with the Heat was Game 6 of the 2012 NBA Eastern Conference Finals. Trailing 3-2 and heading into Boston, James had the game of his life – 45 points, 15 rebounds and 5 assists to catapult the Heat to an eventual series win and subsequent title.
4 seasons; 294 games; 26.9 points per game; 7.6 rebounds per game; 6.7 assists per game; 38.0 minutes per game; 2 NBA titles; 2 NBA MVP’s