Miami Heat: 2020-21 End Of Season Grades For Trevor Ariza
By Isiah Curry
The Miami Heat needed a Jae Crowder type after letting Crowder walk and Trevor Ariza was the perfect get.
While Ariza struggled to shoot consistently during the Heat’s final stretch of the season, an ongoing issue in his career has been an inability to finish easy layup opportunities. On attempts from within three feet, Ariza shot just over 60 percent — ranking second-to-last among active Heat players.
A lack of focus and confidence, even after successfully beating defenders on the drive, hurt many of those chances. However, Ariza did have moments where the lightbulb found its lumens and the Heat needed it.
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Scoring in double-figures in 14 games, Trevor’s best offensive performance in a Miami Heat uniform came in a,119-111, road-loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on April 16th. In this contest, he scored 21 points and went 5-for-7 from three.
Offensive Grade – C
With a 7’2” wingspan, the Heat were well-aware of the physical advantages Ariza provided as a multi-positional defender. After coming off the bench for the first three games, Trevor would eventually become the full-time starting power forward for the remainder of the year and further into the playoffs.
Though it wasn’t enough to propel them further than the four-game sweep to Milwaukee, what he meant to Miami on that side of the ball after coming over can’t be overstated. What did that do for his grade though?