How did Miami Heat forward James Johnson fair this season?

Did Miami Heat forward James Johnson leave his mark this season?

Last summer, the Miami Heat signed James Johnson to a four-year, $60 contract.

Now, with 2017-18 play having officially come to an end, fans are wondering if he proved his worth.

Coming into last year, the forward had already played for four different NBA teams. And while he showed flashes of brilliance, he was never quite able to level all the way up.

Still, president Pat Riley saw something he liked in the Wyoming-native. So after Dwyane Wade sought greener pastures and the whale in Kevin Durant wasn’t caught, he signed Johnson to an one-year deal. Which turned out to be the perfect partnership.

Johnson averaged career-highs of 12.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.1 blocks and 1.0 steal a game in 27.4 minutes, coming off the bench in all but five contests. He, alongside Tyler Johnson, led the second unit, providing a much-needed unparalleled energy and spark, when the starters needed a rest.

Riley got a great deal and the journeyman was finally able to reach his potential.

So it was a no-brainer that once Johnson’s contract ran out, both parties wanted to move forward together.

The question now is, how did the 31-year-old fair in the first year of his new deal?

On the one hand, it could be argued that Miami got what was expected, as Johnson’s performance stayed pretty consistent; he averaged 10.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.0 steal per matchup, in 26.6 minutes of play. The forward shot 50.3 percent from the field, compared to 47.9 percent last season. And played in just three fewer games.

On the other, some fans would have liked to see more out of the veteran.

Especially in regards to consistency.

Although Johnson continued to show out on occasion, his talent would be put into question just days later, as he visibly struggled. On March 19, he scored 31 points on 13-of-17 shooting from the field (going 4-for-6 from downtown), against the Denver Nuggets. During those 46 minutes of play, he was also able to grab 11 rebounds and dish out six assists.

However, just two days later, Johnson finished with three points against the New York Knicks. He took exactly two shot attempts in 22 minutes, going 1-for-2 from the field and the same from the line. And while he dished the same number of assists and totaled five rebounds, it was a far cry from the type of play exhibited a game prior.

Heat Nation should get used to seeing his name on the team roster though.

Johnson is set to make $14.7 million with Miami next year, and is unlikely to be moved. With the organization having named him co-captain this past season and his skill-set spanning both ends of the floor, he’s still very much a valuable asset to the Heat. He certainly stepped it up in the postseason too, averaging 12.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.2 blocks and 1.2 steals over five games.

Next: The Miami Heat are in a salary cap strangehold for the 2019 season

Johnson may have room yet to develop, but the Miami Heat found themselves a keeper.