Can the Miami Heat’s Tyler Johnson become the first player to win Sixth Man of the Year in franchise history?
From the start of their 13-game win streak to the end of the season, the Miami Heat had the highest-scoring bench in the NBA. Perhaps the biggest contributor to Miami’s bench was Tyler Johnson, who was the Heat’s fourth-highest scorer despite coming off the bench all season. He’ll likely play that role again, and could earn some consideration for Sixth Man of the Year this upcoming season.
Others like James Johnson and Josh Richardson played big roles off the bench as well. While James Johnson and Richardson may earn promotions to the starting lineup, Tyler Johnson seems entrenched as the team’s primary spark off the bench.
Johnson is going into his fourth year with the Heat and, while many still haven’t given him the sufficient credit he deserves as a bench/role player. this might be the breakout year that will turn heads in the NBA.
Johnson has been a great weapon off the bench for the Heat and in the midst of the post-Big Three transition, but the giant contract he signed last summer has led some to overlook his contributions.
Tyler Johnson’s NBA Contract
| 2017-18 | $5,881,260 |
| 2018-19 | $18,858,765 |
| 2019-20 | $19,631,975 |
Since his first season, Johnson’s minutes per game have increased growing from a modest 18 per game to a comfortable 29.8, while increasing his scoring output by eight points per game.
Per the South Florida Sun-Sentinel’s Ira Winderman, Johnson ranks as the only player in Heat history to score at least 1,002 points in a season without a start, and his 11 20-point games last season marks a record by a Heat reserve.
On defense, Johnson has recorded a positive Defensive Box Plus-Minus in every season, and is a career plus-0.8. That’s a good mark for a player of his size at his position.
With the possibility that Josh Richardson might get the start over Justise Winslow at small forward and James Johnson likely making the jump to the starting lineup, Tyler Johnson becomes the de facto leader of the second unit.
Next: Ranking the best players in Heat history from 2000-2009
Last season, Johnson established himself as one of the better reserves in the game, and he’s laid the groundwork for a serious Sixth Man of the Year campaign