Small lineup
Goran Dragic – Tyler Johnson – Dion Waiters – Justise Winslow – James Johnson
This type of lineup is a real chance to be used regularly, albeit in short spurts.
Ranging from 6-foot-3 to 6-foot-9, this arrangement would get up and down the floor rapidly, defend excellently on the perimeter, and most of all shoot from all over the court. Winslow has already demonstrated to be a top-notch defender, and his physicality would enable him to handle things in the low post if necessary.
And while he’s just 6-foot-9, Johnson’s significantly improved physical conditioning has resulted in an amazing upgrade as a defensive stopper, as demonstrated by posting two or more blocked shots on 28 occasions last season.
The one glaring weakness with the such a lineup would be on the boards, where rebounding is not necessarily the strong suit on any of the players listed. And in tying in with that, the lack of a legitimate rim protector would prevent the lineup from taking the floor for extended stretches.
However, with the “small-ball” era as prevalent as ever, such a lineup would provide legitimate nightmares for opposing teams. Three of the quintet – Dragic, Waiters and Johnson – hit at a 37.2 percent clip or greater from three-point range last season. And most of all, each player from this group is more than capable of handling the ball and creating offence while on the court.
And with the depth of the Heat entering the season, many of these players listed are also interchangeable with other players on the roster.