Miami Heat have decisions to make about upcoming free agents

James Johnson

Age: 30

2016-17: 12.3 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 3.5 assists per game (APG), 1.1 blocks per game (BPG), 48.5 FG%, 26.6 MPG

2016-17 salary: $4,000,000

Johnson has been one of the revelations of the season. Not just in Miami, but league wide. And like  Ellington, it hasn’t just been because of his noticeable body-shape transformation. Regarded up until this season as a small forward who was a suspect perimeter/three-point shooter, Johnson has evolved into a modern-day stretch 4 with the ability to hit from behind the three-point line.

With a career-high of 1.7 three-point attempts per game prior to arriving in Miami, this season Johnson has ramped that up to 3.2 for a respectable 34.6 3P%. Johnson was a career 26.6 percent shooter from downtown prior to arriving in Miami. But it’s also been Johnson’s ability to bring the ball up the floor and act as the secondary ball-handler that has made such a valuable commodity.

Now on his fifth team, Johnson like Ellington is in both the form and shape of his career. Here are highlights from one of Johnson’s best games this season:

From last season’s free-agency signings, some comparable players around the league are the following:

Evan Turner, Portland Trail Blazers

Age: 28

Contract: Four-years, $70 million

Turner performed a similar type role for the Boston Celtics last season as to what Johnson is currently performing with the Heat. Coming off the bench, Turner provided a boost with a combination of his scoring and play-making ability. Nowhere near the athlete Johnson is, Turner was rewarded extremely handsomely this past summer.

Mirza Teletovic, Milwaukee Bucks

Age: 31

Contract: Three-years, $30 million

Like Johnson this season, Teletovic had a breakout year statistically in his sole season with the Phoenix Suns. At a similar age and a similar role coming off the bench like Johnson, Teletovic’s floor-spacing ability was snapped up promptly by the Bucks.

Jared Dudley, Phoenix Suns

Age: 31

Contract: Three-years, $30 million

Dudley was added to the Suns’ roster just as much for his veteran leadership and locker-room presence as his on-court performance. Like Johnson, he possesses versatility but nowhere near the athleticism or ability to defend almost every position on the court.

Luol Deng, Los Angeles Lakers

Age: 31

Contract: Four-years, $72 million

Deng’s numbers in Miami last season were strikingly to Johnson’s this season – 12.3 PPG, 6.0 RPG and 34.4 3P%. Deng’s singing with the Lakers was seen as a great fit for a young, up-and-coming team. But the season’s of the both the Lakers and Deng have been a huge disappointment.