Miami Heat: Luke Babbitt’s return is right on time
Luke Babbitt is back with the Miami Heat.
Luke Babbitt was a bit of an oddball with the Miami Heat last season.
Starting in an overwhelming majority of the games he played, Babbitt was resigned to an average of just 15 minutes per contest.
In those 15 minutes, Babbitt was usually good for about one 3 each game – maybe he’d get hot and knock down two – and he’d usually be back on the bench midway through the first quarter.
Rarely hitting the floor in crunch time, only 107 of his 1065 minutes played in a Heat jersey last year, came in the fourth.
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Why then, did Miami move to reacquire Babbitt after letting him sign with the Atlanta Hawks in the offseason? For the Heat, Babbitt brings his quiet consistency as a form of assurance.
What was the play again?
Receiving players in trades, especially those near the February deadline, is always a particularly volatile situation. Past the halfway mark of the season, the deadline serves as a time to make desperation moves to re-up for the playoffs. Look no further than Cleveland for a juicy example.
But for Miami, who just barely made the eighth seed in last year’s playoffs, staying healthy has taken precedence over shaking up the formula. Babbitt’s return, much like that of Dwyane Wade’s, cuts corners around the need to reintegrate a new face into the Heat culture.
Babbitt knows about the Heat weight check-ins. He’s up to speed on the weaselly movement of Wayne Ellington around the perimeter, and he’s familiar with head coach Erik Spoelstra’s next man up mentality.
More importantly, he knows his role, and can be ready at a moments notice. Upon his acquisition, Babbitt played spotty minutes in the Heat rotation, amounting to no more than 10 through his first seven games back, including three “DNPs”.
Now, starting in the last two games in Kelly Olynyk’s stead, Babbitt has slipped back into the rotation with ease. In back-to-back games playing 25 minutes a piece, Babbitt’s fondness for the long ball gave Miami a solution for Ellington’s absence.
87 of Babbitt’s 113 made field goals last year came from around the horn, and so far, he’s picking up where he left off. All nine of Babbitt’s made buckets since his return have come from beyond the arc.
Though his shooting splits are lopsided, Spoelstra is still high on Babbitt preferring the triple.
"“I love the fact that he kept on shooting,” said Spoelstra ahead of tonight’s game against the Washington Wizards. “He missed his first three threes and that’s a big test. Everyone on the bench is starting to lean forward — When he gets the next open one is he going to shot fake or is he going to let it rip?”"
Additionally, his familiarity with starting along Hassan Whiteside gives Miami a more NBA-ready rotation. Whereas Olynyk and Bam Adebayo bring their own inside games to the table, Babbitt can be found anywhere but, giving him the chance to fling up threes with confidence. Like this:
Babbitt has been an opportune replacement for the injured Ellington. Similar to Ellington’s preference to running off screens and hitting catch-and-shoot 3’s, Babbitt hasn’t dribbled on a single of his made shots.
Ultimately, Babbitt’s mild mannered presence is the perfect amount of unassuming for Miami’s at times chaotic offense. His shooting touch can bail the Heat out from their shooting droughts, but he’ll never become an offensive glutton.
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Having played with almost all of Miami’s current roster last season (looking at you, Wade), at the very least, Babbitt’s presence is good for a familiar face around the locker room. And that’s a premium come playoff time.