Player exit review: James Johnson embodied Miami Heat culture
By Rob Slater
What We Learned
Out of all the Heat’s reclamation projects over the years (Eddy Curry, Michael Beasley, etc.), James Johnson ranks as the most successful.
It’s rare in the NBA that players have this type of career renaissance but Johnson’s commitment to his fitness and willingness to do whatever necessary on the floor to help the Heat win has endeared him to the coaching staff, organization and its fans.
Ultimately, Johnson became an incredibly reliable option on both ends of the floor, often defending the opponent’s best player and then initiating offense on the other end. The term “point-center” is not an inaccurate description of Johnson’s duties on the floor, as in some lineups he was tasked with guarding the center and bringing the ball up the floor.
His versatility allowed Spoelstra to move him around offensively as well, creating mismatches that twice put the ball in Johnson’s hand at the end of games, first missing a jumper in Detroit to win (Hassan Whiteside tipped it in at the buzzer) and getting called for an offensive foul on a potentially game-winning drive against Cleveland.
Regardless of the lack of direct success, Johnson was the top option offensively late in the season when the Heat absolutely had to have wins.