Miami Heat 2016-17 player preview: Wayne Ellington

Last season and breakout game

Last season Ellington played with the Brooklyn Nets. He returned averages of 7.7 points per game and 2.3 rebounds in 76 games. He struggled overall from the field shooting 39 percent. But he did manage to hit at 36 percent from behind the three-point line. Ellington started 45 games last season. But as has been the theme throughout his career, he was stuck on a terrible Nets team that won 21 games. As a shooter, playing alongside inexperienced point guards while also dealing with a coach being fired mid-season made for a very frustrating season.

Ellington’s best performance last season came on December 28 against, ironically, the Miami Heat. Playing 33 minutes, Ellington scored 26 points on 9-of-18 from the field, including 7-of-9 from three-point range. He also contributed seven rebounds, two assists and a steal. As can be seen from the above video, his three-point shooting came off a combination of both spot-ups and off the dribble. This game demonstrated what a dangerous streak shooter Ellington can become for the Heat, with six of his seven threes coming in the second half.