Miami Heat 2016-17 player preview: Luke Babbit
By Simon Smith
In a season of transition for Miami, newcomer Luke Babbitt will be hoping to establish a spot in the Heat’s rotation in his seventh NBA season.
The acquisition of forward Luke Babbitt was one transaction that flew under the radar this offseason. Acquired in exchange for a future second-round draft pick, the Miami Heat further enhanced their depth with this trade. Selected at pick number 16 in the 2010 NBA draft, Miami will be Babbitt’s third landing spot since being drafted. Over his six seasons in the league, Babbitt’s playing time and opportunities have been fairly limited. He has started in just 38 games over this time, with career averages of 4.7 points per game and 2.3 rebounds in 13.5 minutes per game.
Naturally, these numbers don’t jump off the page and make fans jump for joy. However, the past two seasons have certainly indicated that Babbitt could prove to be a worthy pickup. He shot 51.3 percent from three-point range in 2014-15 and backed it up with 40.4 percent last season. At six foot nine inches, Babbitt has the size and attributes to cover both forward spots. With the departure of Chris Bosh and with a variety of new faces, this ability could prove to be invaluable.
However, Babbitt will no doubt be aware that arriving at a new team will require some adjustments on his part.