Rodney McGruder proved himself against some of the league’s very best and endeared himself to the Miami Heat organization and its fans in the process.
“Pest.” There is no higher praise in the Miami Heat organization than being referred to as an annoying, relentless organism that threatens humanity. Rodney McGruder earned, and lived, that title in an impressive rookie campaign.
McGruder has been called pest, scavenger, pit bull (as Wayne Ellington coined) and maybe most important—the heart and soul of the Miami Heat, as Dion Waiters said in late February.
Watching the undrafted rookie emerge from the Sioux Falls Skyforce to earning the 15th and final roster spot on the Heat this year and becoming a 35+ minute player during a 30-11 turnaround, it’s hard not to be impressed by what he was able to accomplish this season.
Early on, Erik Spoelstra asked a lot of the 25-year old, pitting him against some of the league’s best scorers like LeBron James, Paul George, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant and Steph Curry. And he’d be initiated into the league early on—Anthony put 35 points on McGruder in December and just three nights later, it was LeBron who added 27.
But those successes for the opponent quickly turned into struggles as the trial by fire period proved beneficial for McGruder, who emerged into one of the Heat’s most reliable, tenacious one-on-one defenders.
Offensively, his game was (and in some cases, still is) a work in progress, but the reality is that the Heat found a homegrown diamond in the rough that they can fully develop in the years to come.
Best Stretch: February 6 – 10 vs. Minnesota, Milwaukee and Brooklyn
McGruder isn’t a box score stuffer. He may never be. His impact on the course of a game goes far beyond the confines of a box score and maybe the best look at what could be his full potential in years to come came on three cold winter nights in February in the midst of the 13-game winning streak.
Starting in Minnesota, McGruder played 39 minutes en route to 15 points including a season-high three 3-pointers and helped stave off a late run from the very young and very talented Timberwolves team.
Not only did McGruder contribute on the offensive end, including a key basket late and a total of four offensive rebounds, he was assigned to nearly every one of the Wolves’ scoring threats. First it was Andrew Wiggins then Ricky Rubio, Brandon Rush, Tyus Jones and Shabazz Muhammad on his way to his most impressive rookie effort to date.
McGruder hounded Wiggins in particular, battling the tough combo guard in the post and making him take contested, often fadeaway jumpers from areas Wiggins typically finds success.
Two nights later in Milwaukee it was another 35+ minute night and another tough defensive assignment for the rookie. Right from the jump, McGruder was latched onto one of the game’s most unique, versatile scorers: Giannis Antetokoumpo.
Again, Giannis took the rookie into the post much like Wiggins tried to do and the player affectionately known as The Greek Freak started the game with two airballed fadeaway jumpers.
The final night in Brooklyn, another win for the Heat and a 35-minute night for McGruder, saw him truly earn his “scavenger” nickname as the sluggish Heat found their winning streak in jeopardy on their third game in four nights.
McGruder responded every time the Heat needed a push, notching four steals (a season high) and scoring 11 points while tallying the aforementioned four steals, six rebounds and three assists. He was the do-it-all player the Heat needed to pull away from the Nets late in the fourth.
It’s tough to pick just one standout performance from McGruder this season, but these three games were an example of Erik Spoelstra asking the absolute most of his young guard. Play 35+ minutes on a three-game road trip and guard the opposition’s best scoring threats at any given moment. McGruder met the challenge and excelled in the role.
Interesting Stat: 54.1 percent
Ultimately, the best sign of McGruder’s fit within the Heat’s system is if and how he excels at the types of offensive looks they are likely to produce. One of those notable stats is that 54.1 percent of his 3-point attempts were generated from the corners, a very important aspect of the Heat’s offense.
Spoelstra made the corner 3 a priority in the days of Ray Allen, Rashard Lewis, Mike Miller and even Chris Bosh, who expanded his game to the 3-point line in the name of winning championships.
And even this year, the Heat averaged 8.3 corner threes per game, tied with the Houston Rockets for second-most in the league this season (Cleveland averaged 10.3). Just over 30 percent of the Heat’s total 3-point attempts came from the left and right corners.
A great sign for McGruder is that he is finding his spot in the Heat’s offense, as he led the team with 54 percent of his attempts coming from the corner (Justise Winslow, who appeared in just 18 games, came in at 60 percent) but there is room for improvement.
Surely, Spoelstra and the coaching staff will want to see this three-point percentage rise next season, as McGruder converted on just 34.5 percent of those corner threes and was a 33 percent shooter from three overall.
What We Learned
The Heat’s player development system relishes a project like Rodney McGruder. He’s a young, athletic, hungry and aggressive guard who has had to earn everything in the NBA. He’s willing to do anything to get on the floor, and that’s exactly what was asked of him this year.
In McGruder, the Heat have a truly dynamic and versatile defender who is fearless, caring not for the accolades of whoever he happens to be matching up against that night.
Take Paul George for example. The all-world Pacers forward was ejected after picking up his second technical foul just a few minutes into the second half after scrapping with McGruder for a second time. “He shoved me, I just shoved him back,” McGruder said after the game. Waiters chimed in, saying that George “probably just wasn’t up for that or ready for that. That’s just who Rodney is and how he plays.”
McGruder certainly earned respect from the opposition and will definitely have their attention next season, so his defensive improvements will be extremely important.
Offensively, his game must feature a consistent three-point shot. If McGruder can become a 3-and-D player off the bench, he endears himself to them for as long as he sees fit to stay in Miami, as that type of player is essential to the Heat’s system.
Where We Go From Here
McGruder will get a well-deserved raise in 2017-18, going from $543k to $1.3 million as he enters the final year of his contract.
There is no doubt that the young guard plays a large role in what looks to be a slow rebuild for the Miami Heat as they develop some of their own young talent (McGruder included) and look to attract some of the bigger names that may become available.
It’s not a negative to say that McGruder probably won’t blossom into the NBA’s definition of a star. He won’t appear on an All-NBA ballot anytime soon or be in the MVP race. However, there is a place for him on a contending team.
When you think about the future of Rodney McGruder, think of players like Houston’s Patrick Beverly, San Antonio’s Danny Green, Boston’s Avery Bradley and past Heat greats like Jamal Mashburn and Shane Battier.
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That should be the model for McGruder moving forward but if the Heat have shown anything it’s that they will look to develop his game outside of the confines of how the league defines him.