Miami Heat: An early look at the Heat depth chart going into next season
By Duncan Smith
Wings
Jimmy Butler
Jimmy Butler is now the man in Miami and he’ll be the starting small forward. On a team which had an egalitarian offensive approach last season, Butler will likely dominate the ball a bit more than anybody outside of Dwyane Wade did off the bench a year ago.
He should be at least a moderate upgrade on anything the Miami Heat had on the wing both offensively and defensively and it wouldn’t be surprising in the least to see him lead the team in games played, minutes played and minutes per game.
Derrick Jones Jr.
Derrick Jones Jr. has made a surprising leap up the wing ranks since the end of last season, thanks to the fact that the Heat refused to make him a part of the Jimmy Butler trade when things went sideways with the Dallas Mavericks. While Pat Riley was confident he could find another deal elsewhere, this is still a real vote of confidence in Jones’ favor.
One of the more exciting young athletes in the NBA, Jones will likely be expected to be a fire-starter off the bench with his explosive finishes and dunks and to provide defense against wings and ball handlers.
James Johnson
The Miami Heat likely wouldn’t mind moving off James Johnson‘s remaining two years and $31.4 million salary, but finding a suitor won’t be easy. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Johnson fade into the background and Jones surge as his replacement next season.
Duncan Robinson
Duncan Robinson has shown some sparks of real talent both with the Sioux Fall Skyforce, the Miami Heat’s G-League affiliate, and in the NBA with the Heat. He’s already shown himself to be too good for Summer League, having played a great opener and then getting removed from the lineup for the second game, so the Heat clearly have a close eye on his upwards trajectory.