Miami Heat 1-on-1: What’s next for James Johnson?

So do you think Johnson should return to the bench?

Johnson: I’d say he should stay in the starting lineup. Last season, the only constant in the Heat’s rotation was the “Platinum Group,” which rode on the collective backs of Justise Winslow, Kelly Olynyk, Bam Adebayo, Wayne Ellington and a rotating fifth (usually Josh Richardson) off the bench. While that lineup tended to prosper, it usually didn’t feature James Johnson, despite Johnson playing in Miami’s most used fourth quarter group. In fact, with Winslow picking up more point responsibilities, some of Johnson’s best minutes came with Dragic at the helm, leaving Johnson to bully his way to the rim on offense and stay fresh on defense. The Heat have shown they like to start stretch-fours like Luke Babbitt, to usher in some early 3’s, but letting Johnson bookend Miami’s games for an entire season could be a worth a shot.

Ebrahim: I definitely think it would be ideal to see him move to a secondary role and run the offense on the second unit. He thrives playing that role and having him bring that consistency would be great. He can bring the ball up, post up, is a decent passer, and would keep the offense flowing when the starters need a break. The Brothers Johnson might be one of my favorite bench combinations in the league, and going back to the essence of that with the ball movement and chemistry they had established, would be best for the team. Add Adebayo’s energy to the ferociousness that the Brothers Johnson play with, and you have a solid bench mob.