Where does Justise Winslow fit with the Miami Heat?

After missing 25 games for the Miami Heat, would Justise Winslow be better off on South Beach or elsewhere when he returns?

An athlete should never lose his job due to injury. Maybe that was the false rhetoric that had a healthy Dion Waiters expecting to step back into the Miami Heat starting lineup. It will not, however, be the same falsehood responsible for leaving Justise Winslow on the wrong side of the rotation.

That delineation looks like it could come due to the emergence of Derrick Jones Jr.

It has been widely known that the man they call Airplane Mode, has the ability to get fans on their feet, whether at home or on the road. But somewhere along the line he became more than just a highlight a game.

Jimmy Butler let Fox Sports’ Jason Jackson know as much following the Heat’s victory against the Indiana Pacers:

"“DJ has been key for us when you’re talking about getting the fans into the game with highlight dunks, getting a stop or making a huge basket. When he is playing like that with that much energy we really do follow suit.”"

Over the last 10 games, that energy has translated into 10.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 0.8 blocks and 1.5 steals per game. Beyond that, Jones Jr. has often been spending time in the closer line up—averaging 10.8 minutes in 15 fourth quarters from December to January.

So, does that make Winslow expendable? To an extent.

The Heat could shop him to suitors as a 23-year-old only making $13 million for the season. From there, they could package him as a sweetener to shed salary (e.g. Waiters) or to pull in an asset without sacrificing the rest of the young core.

Still, an argument could be made for Miami keeping Winslow and making this all to work in reverse.

Jones Jr. is a 22-year-old on a $1.6 million contract, tabbed as an energy guy and defensive stopper. But although he does not have the length and athleticism, Winslow is better. He can play the fourth quarter defensive stopper as well as add another decision-making ball handler to the floor.

Unfortunately, Winslow and Jones Jr. are shooting 23.1 and 22.4 percent from the three-point line, respectively. Making them both assets and liabilities.

But would either be a bigger liability than Kelly Olynyk is at the moment?

Olynyk has become so unreliable from the stretch-big position over the last two months—29.8 percent from three—that his ability to be a threat has diminished him straight off the floor. Placing Jones Jr. as the first sub in the power rotation for Bam Adebayo or Meyers Leonard. This is also a position where Winslow has been defensively plotted in the past because of his build.

In other words, Olynyk’s struggles may be a saving grace for all. As he continues to sit, Miami can slide Winslow in and continue their nine-man rotation without sacrificing any assets, yet.

And maybe that will be seen as soon as Sunday as Justise Winslow has been upgraded to questionable as the Miami Heat face the Portland Trail Blazers.