In this week’s AllUCanHeat Miami Heat Roundtable discussion, the staff speaks on the team’s recent struggles.
For starters, James Johnson‘s return has been lukewarm so far… what do you hope to see him bring to the table, the rest of the season?
Rich Nurse (@followthepen): James Johnson’s return is reminding me of the start he had when he first joined the Miami Heat. So, I would like to see him bring the same things to the table that he did once things got going. Punch up the scoring and field goal percentage by attacking the rim, then work his way out. And also, his assists numbers look good, but he needs to get back to hitting the boards and shooting the passing lanes.
Rohan Campbell (@theboyro): I’d like him to be more of the point forward that we know he can be. He just became healthy and I will cite the reason for his struggles as just being rust. If there’s not much improvement moving forward though, he could be on the trade block. I love him coming off the bench however, so I don’t wanna see him gone unless it’s in a trade that benefits Miami.
Rahmeaun Rahming (@Boneman9000): I think his greatest skill is being a hard-nosed defender, who can stay on the court without fouling. In his first game back, he nearly fouled out in in the first two quarters. His playmaking ability is an added bonus, so I look forward to seeing him set up his teammates consistently. A somewhat underrated skill of his too, is making tough contested shots at the rim. We need to see that make its way back into his game, because people forget he’s a black belt and one of the strongest players in the league.
So, what do you really think is going on with Dion Waiters?
Nurse: The fact that the only word that has come out about Dion Waiters is that he works out before games and is still not in game shape, tells me that he did absolutely nothing while he was out, or that the ankle is young Steph Curry bad. Either way, I blame both parties. The Heat gave up too much money for a guy who only lasted half a season, and Waiters waited too long to fix this problem.
Campbell: I cringed when I found out they were signing him to a multi-year deal. It’s like a relationship: when you get into one, you get too comfortable. I understand why he opted to have the surgery later. But I expected him to be ready by now. Is he being lazy? Is he now just content, since he has the contract he wanted? It’s frustrating, especially with the Heat’s current struggles. Is there a reason why we haven’t even seen him in street clothes on the bench? I wonder…
Rahming: Oh boy. I honestly think he’s hurt and not ready to return. Not every human body is the same, and recovery time differs from person to person. I don’t expect to see him in 2018. I’d love to see him suit up in Vice gear (even if the uniforms are supposedly bad luck), but I’ve come to terms with the fact that if the team is still losing traction the in the standings, he’ll be one of the first on the trading block at the deadline.
How concerned are you about the lack of a true backup point guard for Goran Dragic?
Nurse: I am not too concerned about not having a true point guard behind Goran Dragic. If the goal is to eventually get under the tax, signing an extra player makes it harder. No need for that when the Heat may not be going anywhere, yet. (Sidebar: I don’t think the team has a true point guard on the roster anyways.)
Campbell: Very concerned. Remember all the talk about how many guards the Heat have? How many were true point guards? Seems like only Dragic. Josh Richardson has too much on his plate to run point every possession. Dwyane Wade can’t be a 36-year-old starting point guard in today’s NBA. Tyler Johnson isn’t consistent enough or healthy currently. So Miami may need to pick one up, if push comes to shove.
Rahming: For on-court reasons, of course I’m concerned, but only mildly. Who knew that Dragic and Johnson would both be injured at the same time? For roster reasons, I am very concerned. The team already doesn’t have a pure point guard and doesn’t look like they’re planning on getting one this season. They have an open roster spot, but looks like they’re saving it for either Duncan Robinson or Yante Maten, who are both on two-way contracts. The Heat are entering salary cap hell and need to maneuver to the trade deadline perfectly. They do need to make a deal at the deadline, but the injuries are threatening to speed up the clock on the two-way deals. One of those players will get that 15th spot. I’m assuming a deadline deal or two would open up a second spot for the other two-way player. I’m sure the Heat at hoping to get them both on the team.
And lastly, do you actually see Bam Adebayo phasing out Hassan Whiteside soon?
Nurse: Assuming soon means this season, I would say no. Hassan Whiteside has to be on the floor to build trade value for this season or next. Bam Adebayo is still raw, undersized for some, and a little foul prone. He can wait.
Campbell: Yes. It all depends on Adebayo though, and how much better he gets with time. He still isn’t a big man that can create his own shot. If he can eventually be that however, Whiteside’s days may be numbered. The only problem is: who would want him and that expensive contract? That would be the only reason why he stays in Miami, if he does indeed get phased out.
Rahming: Oh absolutely. We already watched this happen last year, but it was somewhat cloak and dagger with Whiteside missing 28 games due to injury. Each time he would return, head coach Erik Spoelstra would say they’re working on integrating him back into the lineup, although against the Nets late in the season, it was evident that wasn’t the whole truth. In his previous four games, Whiteside didn’t crack the 25-minute mark once. Spoelstra has been unabashedly giving Adebayo extra minutes and taking them directly from Whiteside. Even with limited playing time, he’s still been getting his numbers, so I’m sure they’d love to keep him, but he costs too much money to be playing him 20 minutes a game. There has to be another center out there on a value contract that can come off the bench behind Adebayo.
It’s only up from here… right?