The Miami Heat have a great developmental system. With that fact and the knowledge that every rookie has flaws, there’s nothing to worry about here.
Something that will definitely be fixed and especially by playing for Miami is his inconsistency on defense at times. That’s a simple issue that will be fixed, as the motor and effort are always there.
During the NBA Finals after Bam Adebayo got injured and even during the playoffs at times when Adebayo was off the floor, Miami’s defense took a step back. Having Achiuwa on the roster now should help Miami when Adebayo is off the court.
Achiuwa can give Adebayo a break and can already do 55-70 percent of what Adebayo does defensively. Having Kelly Olynyk and Meyers Leonard out there gave you zero rim protection, while you also hesitated to switch your big’s for fear of being too slow out there.
Achiuwa can come in and fill a role but that role shouldn’t be overbearing for him. I think Miami will use Achiuwa like they used Adebayo as a rookie.
That was in the form of him bringing non-stop energy, running the floor, and catching lobs to finish. That’s what I see for the newest Heat addition.
If Achiuwa can shoot at a decent enough clip to stay on the floor alongside Adebayo, then that could make Miami’s defense unbelievable with the ability to switch everything. Having those two running around protecting the rim and paint together could be downright scary to opposing offenses.
Give Achiuwa some time to develop and you should be impressed. He fits right in with Miami and it won’t be long before we get to see it all in live-action.