Miami Heat: What can Rashad Vaughn bring to the Summer League table?
The Miami Heat have added Rashad Vaughn to their Summer League roster.
2018 Miami Heat Summer League play is set to tip off on July 2, with the team having just released their current roster.
Among the already selected nine players are Bam Adebayo and Derrick Walton Jr., who were both on Miami’s 2017-18 squad. While Adebayo was drafted by the Heat last summer and had a strong rookie season, Walton Jr. was on a two-way contract and played 16 games under head coach Erik Spoelstra.
Miami recently extended a qualifying offer to Walton, for 2018-19, making him a restricted free agent this summer.
UIC standout Dikembe Dixson will also be representing the Heat this summer, alongside Notre Dame’s Matt Farrell and G-Leaguer Ike Nwamu.
Another exciting addition has just been announced however, by way of Rashad Vaughn.
The 21-year-old was the No. 17 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. Selected by the Milwaukee Bucks after just one year at UNLV, he spent the next three years playing for the Bucks, as well as the Orlando Magic and Brooklyn Nets.
And despite his numbers not popping off the page (he has logged time in 139 NBA games, averaging 3.0 points and 1.1 rebounds in 12.0 minutes of play), the guard has serious potential.
During his one year in college, he averaged 17.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists per contest in 32.3 minutes, resulting in Vaughn being named Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year. He was also a McDonald’s All-American.
He showed out for the Bucks, too.
On October 29, 2016, Vaughn scored a career-high 22 points (including six 3-pointers) in a win over the Brooklyn Nets.
Best known for his shooting abilities, the young fella loves that 3-point line. Especially when it comes to the catch-and-shoot game. During the first half of 2017-18 play, Vaughn put up 50 shot attempts from beyond-the-arc. He also tailed a 62.9 effective field goal percentage in those situations.
Vaughn also doesn’t flinch when defenders get up in his face. During his last run with the Bucks, he shot 77.8 percent from the field when an opponent was within two to four feet of him.
A fearless 3-point specialist? Sounds right up the Heat’s alley.
There are definitely still parts of his offensive game that need improvement. For one, Vaughn needs to grow more comfortable driving towards the hoop, to make his skill-set more versatile. He could also stand to work on his ball-handing a bit, which in turn will probably make him more of a playmaker as well.
However, fans should definitely look forward to watching the guard play this summer, as he gets another chance to impress league scouts.
Next: Miami Heat: Lance Stephenson is not the free agency answer
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