The Miami Heat might bring back someone from last season, but if they choose to add another big to pair with Bam, here’s why ‘Trez’ isn’t a bad option.
Other than a max-level player, an offseason priority for the Heat is to find an active body that can compliment Adebayo in the front-court and Harrell completely fits the mold. With an extremely high motor, teams have struggled to limit Harrell’s activity from around the basket, as he’s literally made a career of doing the dirty work.
However, if we compare recent pairings with Bam, the one area that Harrell doesn’t posses is a floor-spacing ability. A career 5-for-60 from the three-point line (0-28 in the last three seasons), that may be something to think about.
In that light, many will find this as a legitimate complaint for a potential pairing between Harrell and Adebayo, especially if you also include the slashing abilities of Butler. Although, if Miami can add a legitimate playmaking point guard, as well as retaining Duncan Robinson, those spacing “issues” become minimal.
This even creates a greater incentive for Bam to further extend his range and become a more capable perimeter shooter. Nonetheless, the defensive impact of Harrell would outweigh any potential offensive struggles that he’d find in Miami.
He adds a nuance of weak-side help in drop coverage, with the length to protect the rim at all costs, giving Adebayo leeway to defend smaller players on the perimeter — which he’s been able to do at an elite level. And while Harrell isn’t the strongest presence on the defensive glass, he fairs well in a system like Miami’s, that is usually very reliant on rebounding as a team.
Regardless of where he’s headed next, the 2019-20 Sixth Man of The Year will be a huge pickup for any team that lands him. There’s winning qualities to his game and he can satisfy a team’s rebounding needs.
For the Heat, the 27 year old just might be what they need to solidify their front-court depth, but also and more importantly, to compete further into in the Eastern Conference. That’s how you, eventually, compete for the title.