Miami Heat guard Tyler Johnson had an interesting 2017-18 run.
Tyler Johnson is currently working on fixing his teeth.
However, during the Miami Heat’s 2017-18 season, he was worried about anything but.
Ever since signing a massive, four-year, $50 million contract in July 2016, all eyes have been on the backup point guard. While some immediately labeled the deal excessive, others were hopeful Johnson would develop into the team’s version of Lou Williams.
And it could be argued that during the first year of his new paycheck, he played exactly like a Sixth Man of the Year.
Having averaged 13.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists a game in 29.8 minutes of play, he led the second unit night in and night out. In fact, not once did he start that season, coming off the bench in 73 contests. He thrived as a second jolt of energy, especially playing alongside James Johnson. On December 20, he scored 32 points, the most ever by a Heat reserve.
But fast forward to now, and many are saying the 26-year-old has regressed.
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Sure, on paper, it may seem that way. After all, he finished this year averaging 11.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.3 assists a matchup, his numbers down in every category. However, it’s important to note that his field goal percentage stayed consistent at 43 percent, and his 3-point shooting only decreased from 37.2 percent to 36.7 percent.
Still, it seems he didn’t impress fans this season the way he once did. Mainly due to issues of inconsistency.
For example, while he scored an impressive 31 points on 12-for-18 shooting on December 30, he totaled just two points in 33 minutes (going 1-of-5 from the field) in the following game on January 3.
When he was on, he was unstoppable. But too often would his first few shots not fall, derailing the rest of his attempts thereafter.
However, it’s not fair to just look at numbers alone. Because certain outside variables undoubtedly took a toll on Johnson.
For starters, the guard started 39 of his total 72 contests this year. A huge change from the season prior. Johnson himself has said on many occasions that it takes time for him to read the opponent and get a feel for the matchup; making him a perfect fit for coming off the bench. But due to constant rotational changes throughout the year, he wasn’t able to hold onto his old role, a role that he felt much more comfortable in.
Johnson also fell victim to injury, dealing with a sprained ankle and torn thumb ligament. Something that certainly set him back.
Heat Nation will probably never stop debating whether the organization gave Johnson a fair deal or not, but his overall 2017-18 performance should not be judged in a vacuum.
Next: Miami Heat: Moving forward without Jordan Mickey
With the off-season in full swing for the Miami Heat, the question now is if Johnson will stick around.