Our Assessment of Winston & What Others Think of Him
Stayman hit the nail on the head, at least for our case here. While illustrating the depth of his doubt, he hit on all of the key things that all but ensures that Winston could not only latch on but thrive supremely with the Miami Heat.
He shoots the ball well, he is a very smart guy and basketball player, but he also works hard. It sounds like a Miami Heat guy to me. The Heat are tailor-made to get the most out of him.
His weaknesses, lack of athleticism, and size are things the Heat can work on and/or counter with their renowned physical conditioning program. They also thrive in helping players hone their skills, while their penchant for running an offense devoid of a true point guard at the moment provides an optimal environment for someone like Winston to come in, feel his way around for a second, and take up the reigns as he gets more comfortable.
While not the exact same players, with one being more scorer and another being more of a facilitator by nature, his case reminds me a lot of Mario Chalmers‘s. Chalmers’s knock was about whether he could truly play the point guard whereas Winston’s revolves around his lack of athleticism not making him a threat on all three-levels.
While again, different players with different issues, what led Chalmers to thrive was the fact that he worked on his weakness while letting the game, the Miami Heat gameplan, and himself focus on and weaponize his strengths. That is exactly what can happen with Winston in Miami as well.
He can focus on his playmaking, defensive, and leadership abilities while working hard and allowing the Miami Heat to help him improve everywhere else. You also have to account for the fact that with his projected second-round draft status, the Miami Heat won’t have to sell the farm for the chance to land him.
His potential draft status, projection, or selection slot isn’t what matter to us here though, as they get those things wrong all the time( looking at the teams that passed on Kendrick Nunn, Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler, Duncan Robinson, and Tyler Herro, just to name a few). Wherever the Heat are able to get him, if they are, he could become immensely valuable to the Heat. That is why Cassius Winston is a name to keep an eye on for the Heat in this year’s NBA draft.