Miami Heat Roundtable: 2017-18 offseason staff takes

Kenyan Gabriel #32 and De'Aaron Fox #5 of the Sacramento Kings speak with Derrick Jones Jr #5, Bam Adebayo #13 of the Miami Heat (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
Kenyan Gabriel #32 and De'Aaron Fox #5 of the Sacramento Kings speak with Derrick Jones Jr #5, Bam Adebayo #13 of the Miami Heat (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
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MIAMI, FL – APRIL 11: Wayne Ellington #2 of the Miami Heat speaks to the media after the game against the Toronto Raptors on April 11, 2018 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Oscar Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL – APRIL 11: Wayne Ellington #2 of the Miami Heat speaks to the media after the game against the Toronto Raptors on April 11, 2018 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Oscar Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images)

Are you glad they re-signed Wayne Ellington?

Tachauer: Absolutely. Ellington had a career 2017-18 run with the Heat, proving his worth not just as a player, but as someone who has fully embraced Miami Culture. On top of that, the Heat were able to bring him back on a great contract, making the move even sweeter.

Nurse: The Heat are in desperate need of 3-point shooting, but with that said, my happiness about Ellington being re-signed are for different reasons. The one year deal allows Miami to keep their cap flexibility for the 2020 (and possibly 2019) offseason. It also pushes the team over the salary cap enough to force them to think about dumping salary to land below the luxury tax before the end of this season.

Gewirtz: Yes, Ellington is a good player to come off of the bench for the Heat. Last year he gave the team good minutes, averaging 11.2 points per game with a few big ‘Golden Arm’ games here and there. I think it was a good one-year sign for the Heat.

Rahming: I was ecstatic to hear that Ellington decided to re-sign with the Heat. I know this puts us over the salary cap but it’s well worth it. At the beginning of last season, it appeared that Rodney McGruder and Ellington were replicas or close copies when it came to play-style. I’m not sure if it was the head coach Erik Spoelstra’s minutes crunch or a decline, but we barely saw McGruder play meaningful minutes. Ellington rose to the moment and thus rose in league notoriety this past season. He had the most disappointing All-Star weekend in my opinion though. Watching him flame out in the first round of the 3-Point Contest was hard. Better luck next year.

Ebrahim: Definitely glad to see Ellington back in the Heat colors, but the signs are there that it’s probably just for the year. If Duncan Robinson can develop, it might be curtains for the Wayne Show. I’m a little surprised he didn’t give more thought to joining a team like the Philadelphia 76ers or Los Angeles Lakers though.

Shofner: While they do get over the luxury tax with this re-signing, I still think that this is a great signing by the team. Off the bench, Ellington provided a much-needed deep threat that has become a standard in today’s current NBA climate. His 218 3-pointers off the bench last season were the most by a reserve in NBA history and his 227 total were the most in a single season in Heat history. While this deal pushed them into the luxury tax, I fully think that they will pull themselves under that line by the end of next season. I don’t think they would make this move without the confidence they can get back under by the trading deadline.