Now that the NBA has expanded it’s roster sizes for the season’s finish in Orlando, the Miami Heat should look into adding Gerald Green.
As the Miami Heat prepare to head to Orlando to finish out their 2019-2020 campaign, the NBA has announced an expansion of current rosters from 15 to 17 eligible players.
Shams Charania of the Athletic was first with reports of the league’s decision:
Sources: The NBA is planning to allow teams to bring up to 17 players per roster (including two-ways) into the resumed season. Previous estimate was 15-player limit.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 11, 2020
This new rule will only apply to players who signed a G-League or NBA deal at some point this season. That includes notable free agent veterans JR Smith, Isaiah Thomas, and Jamal Crawford.
Pat Riley sits with a number of options at hand to bring in and take with the team to Orlando. One name that he could call on is a familiar one, guard Gerald Green. He was a key rotational piece on the 2015-2016 Miami team who made it to the Eastern Conference SemiFinals.
Green most recently played for the Houston Rockets before suffering a broken left foot in a preseason game against the Toronto Raptors in October. He was targeting a return in this year’s playoffs back in January, and with the season having been extended there’s no doubt he’s ready.
Green proved with the Rockets last year that he can still score on all three levels while simultaneously operating with a high motor on the defensive end. He averaged 3.5 points and 1.1 rebounds in 11 postseason games for Houston at the end of last season.
The Heat’s shooting guard position is primarily full, but any addition at this point of the season is for depth purposes only. Green’s also capable of guarding opposing small forwards if not power forwards, as he did in his time with coach Mike D’Antoni and the Rockets.
There’s also the concern surrounding Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo‘s supporting cast.
Miami’s young trio of Kendrick Nunn, Duncan Robinson, and Tyler Herro have seen plenty of success in the regular season. But their just 20, 24, and 25 respectively. Are those guys going to be ready for the different environment that is playoff basketball?
Signing Green ensures that you’ve got experience on your side at a minimum. He’s played in the NBA postseason six out of 12 years in the league, totaling 68 playoff games on his resume.
The 34-year old guard has more experience then most guys available, both in the postseason and with the Miami Heat system as a whole. It’s doubtful he’d take as long to incorporate as other veterans who’ve never played for coach Erik Spoelstra.
If Pat Riley and company are looking to make an addition to this Miami Heat team, few guys make more sense than Gerald Green. He’s healthy, he’s familiar, and ready to get back on the NBA floor.