Miami Heat: 3 Goals for Rodney McGruder in 2018-19

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MIAMI, FL – APRIL 09: Rodney McGruder #17 of the Miami Heat shoots the ball during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at American Airlines Arena on April 9, 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 B51/Mark Brown/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Rodney McGruder /

Shooting Guard

Establishing a player’s true position in today’s NBA is a conundrum.

Miami’s current roster of multi-purpose shape-shifters – Justise Winslow, Josh Richardson, Tyler Johnson, James Johnson – thrives on its catch-all ability to meet various needs on both ends of the floor.

Still, not every player can be a positional chameleon. Hassan Whiteside is very much a center and trying to play him otherwise becomes more of a burden than simply playing him to his strengths.

McGruder is a similar case study. At 6-foot-5, McGruder won’t win any awards for his ability to play in the post.

Miami did a good job of keeping him matched up with comparably sized players last season. Fighting the temptation to expand his matchups will be key to his continued success.

Offensively, McGruder is poised to be a mid to long-range threat, sprinkling in the occasional drive. Though last season offered a small sample size, McGruder favored catch-and-shoot attempts. His buckets in the paint were more often creations of happenstance than actual prowess, due in part to his sleight frame.

On the drive, McGruder is met by Markeiff Morris, whose imposing stature (and beard) forces McGruder into an ill-timed kickout and subsequent turnover. The Heat have never demanded McGruder become a playmaker, so his drive and dish game isn’t his strong suit.

Instead, utilizing McGruder as a shooting guard in the purest form could unlock his development. Though he doesn’t scamper around the court quite as frenetically as Wayne Ellington to get open, McGruder has established a trusty jumper. According to NBA.com, he hit on 40 percent of his wide open triples last season.

As the play develops on the right side of the floor, he patiently waits in the left corner. Ex-Heat player Willie Reed defends as best he can, instinctively meeting Winslow in the paint. McGruder then, using what some would call an anti-gravity force field, can hang out, wait for Winlow’s dime, and nail the 3.

Ultimately, settling in as a shooter could be the best move for Miami and McGruder’s future relationship.

Ellington’s catch and shoot antics have worked out tremendously well. Extending the team’s range should serve to keep Miami competitive in the East.

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