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Miami Heat 1-on-1: What does the future hold for Justise Winslow?

By Imran Ebrahim

MIAMI, FL - APRIL 11: Justise Winslow #20 of the Miami Heat reacts against the Toronto Raptors during the second half at American Airlines Arena on April 11, 2018 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. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL - APRIL 11: Justise Winslow #20 of the Miami Heat reacts against the Toronto Raptors during the second half at American Airlines Arena on April 11, 2018 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. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
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MIAMI, FL – FEBRUARY 5: Josh Richardson #0 and Justise Winslow #20 of the Miami Heat look on during the game against the Orlando Magic February 5, 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 Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL – FEBRUARY 5: Josh Richardson #0 and Justise Winslow #20 of the Miami Heat look on during the game against the Orlando Magic February 5, 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 Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Talk a little about how you felt his rookie season went…

Ebrahim: Knowing what he did in college and how he shot there (49 percent from the field, 42 percent from 3, and 64 percent from the stripe), it wasn’t shocking to see him not have a big impact on the game through his offense. His rookie year, he shot 42 percent from the field, 28 percent from downtown, and 68 percent from the free throw line. However, his impact came through his defensive effort. Of all players on the Heat that played at least 40 games, he was first in defensive rating at 99.0. If you expand that to the NBA and also think about how many minutes a game he played (so at least 25), he was tied with Steven Adams for 11th in the league. So with the Kawhi comparison in mind, I knew there would have to be a huge refinement on his offensive game but the defense was just as advertised.

Nurse: Winslow’s rookie season would be classified as an overall success because the Heat made the playoffs. As a result, certain things were able to be overlooked. He was playing on a team with veterans—like Wade, Deng and Joe Johnson—so there was less pressure on him to produce like a lottery pick would be expected to. On the bright side, his he showed the ability to go out and defend most wings that were put in front of him; doing so with no hesitation. Unfortunately for Heat fans, the scouting report turned out to be more than accurate. Winslow shot 31.4 percent from five to fifteen feet away from the basket, 34.6 percent from midrange and 28 percent from behind the 3-point line. Luckily, he was a 19-year-old with room to grow.

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