Miami Heat forward James Johnson: Then, now and what’s to come

What’s To Come

We’re just scratching the surface of James Johnson’s career with the Heat. Maybe not in a way that we will see ridiculous numbers in the next couple of years, but in ways that makes him irreplaceable.

At some point, everyone on this team will be healthy (fingers crossed). As that slowly happens, Johnson will be able to get comfortable settling into the new role Spoelstra has asked of him. His fierce work ethic will get him to where he wants to go as far as playing his role.

At times, playing so many different roles can lead to indecisiveness on the court. Johnson is in his eighth year in the NBA, so that’s not something that will continue. Factor in his newest mentor, Dwyane Wade, and there’s plenty of hope that Johnson will find himself again. This won’t be a back-and-forth trend where Johnson seems like the player everyone has envisioned him to be or a bust after one successful season. This is a solid player that knows how to get his groove back.

A few poor games will not derail Johnson’s career with the Heat. If Miami makes a run this post-season, you can bet that he will have a huge part in it. With three more seasons on his contract, he’s hard to visualize as a trade asset. Not because there’s not a market for him or it would be hard to work out a deal. It would be hard to trade Johnson because of what he brings to the court and the practice facility. Someone who works as hard as Johnson does can become contagious.

He will give Miami everything he has and is slowly becoming a fan favorite. It’s hard to envision Johnson not playing out the remainder of his contract in South Beach.

Next: Miami Heat's Wayne Ellington: Then, now and what's to come

James Johnson fills a vital position and is a unique player. Watch him develop into this role as things calm down and see just how irreplaceable he is.