Miami Heat: Tyler Johnson’s is not the contract to dump
By Chase Eyrich
The Miami Heat should keep Tyler Johnson around.
With a need to move some salaries this summer, the Miami Heat are struggling to find options. A young roster was promised compensation in hopes of their talent continuing to prosper. Now the 2018-19 season will be president Pat Riley’s time to pay up.
The biggest jump in any player’s salary for the Heat will be Tyler Johnson. In 2016 the Heat were given an option. They could either watch Johnson walk away, or they could match the four-year, $50 million dollar deal from the Brooklyn Nets.
The Heat took their shot with Johnson and he just completed season two of the four-year contract. Now, he will reap the benefits. Last season brought in just over $5.8 million dollars for the undrafted guard from Fresno State. The next two seasons will bring in a little more than $19 million dollars each. But, a possible upside to the situation is that 2019-20 Johnson will have a player option.
Recently, AllUCanHeat’s Brandon Johnson made the case that the Heat’s crowded backcourt should be the reason to trade the guard.
No matter what way you look at it, it will be a hard contract to swallow for Miami, with five other contracts over $11 million and Josh Richardson’s right there. Wayne Ellington and possibly Dwyane Wade alongside Udonis Haslem, will be looking for new contracts with the team as well.
Long story short, the Heat are paying a lot of money for an already packed backcourt.
With Ellington, Richardson, Rodney McGruder, Wade and Dion Waiters all playing the wing, there are not enough minutes to go around. Next season, Johnson will be the highest paid of all. In fact, he will be the second highest paid player on the team.
A glimpse of what we expected was seen out of Johnson this past season. But the inconsistency has been a reason of concern for the shooting guard’s large contract.
Is Waiters Island the way to go?
The second highest paid wing player next season will be Dion Waiters, whose contract should be bringing up more questions than Johnson’s. Last summer, Riley placed his bet on the Syracuse product to a four-year, $52 million dollar deal.
With similar contracts on the table, Waiters has been an expensive product for what he’s produced.
After just 30 games, the Heat had to end Waiters’ season to eventually lead to ankle surgery. While surgery is a good idea in the long run, waiting longer than he had to could end up prolonging how long he is out. There is no word yet if Waiters will be 100 percent by the time camp rolls around.
Taking over half a season off will ultimately slow down Waiters when it’s time for his return.
When it comes to excitement, Waiters is your guy. He’s the most confident player in the NBA and wants to be a playmaker. But, does that fit best in Miami’s system?
Waiters versus Johnson
The Heat play a lot of positionless basketball.
Waiters wants to be the guy that can go iso on any play. But in the current state of the league, you have to beat teams with passing. It’s one of the Golden State Warriors’ best assets and they have proven how effective it can be.
Johnson gets it done in more ways than one. He’s not only a fierce competitor, but he’ll do whatever it takes. Just ask his dentist. The multiple teeth that have been knocked out prove Johnson’s fight.
Despite being undersized, it’s hard to slow him down as he lowers his shoulder to drive to the rim. On the other side, he’s a great catch and shoot player. With Miami leaning to a motion based offense, Johnson works well.
On December 30 versus the Orlando Magic, it was Johnson who put the team on his back. With the Heat down 16 at the half, Johnson posted 22 points on 10-of-11 shooting in the third quarter.
His season-high 31-points completed the Heat comeback.
Yes, it will be hard to get over how much Johnson will get paid the next two seasons. But, when you average it out, he will make $12.5 million over four years. In other words, the Fresno State product is partially going to be paid for the steal he has been so far.
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So moving forward, the Heat should hold onto No. 8.