Miami Heat: 3 goals for James Johnson in the 2019-20 season

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MIAMI, FL – APRIL 3: James Johnson #16 of the Miami Heat handles the ball against the Boston Celtics on April 3, 2019 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 2019 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images) /

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James Johnson has never been an especially prolific shooter, but even a marginal improvement in his production from behind the arc could be a big benefit for the Heat. He shot 33.6 percent from 3-point range last season, but is just a 30.5 percent shooter for his career.

While he hasn’t been proficient from long range, his volume has increased significantly since coming to Miami. Before signing with the Heat in 2016, he had a microscopic 3-point attempt rate (the percentage of his field goal attempts which were 3-pointers) of just 16.6 percent. In his three years with the Heat, his 3-point attempt rate has more than doubled to 35.5 percent.

Even just shooting 33 percent is still better than most half-court shots, and it’s better than basically everything but high-efficiency 3-point shots, dunks, layups and free throws. If Johnson can stay healthy and eat up minutes, even just shooting a high volume of 3s that only go in one-third of the time would be an acceptable benefit to the bench offense for the Miami Heat.

Next. 3 breakout candidates for the Miami Heat in 2019-20. dark

Other than simple intangibles like leadership and good luck like improved health, a marginal improvement in his shooting could be a significant boost to the Heat’s competitive chances in the 2019-20 season.

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