One of the biggest questions this offseason has been in regard to the backup point guard role for the Miami Heat. There has been a ton of speculation over who will take on those duties.
When Miami signed Kyle Lowry, he instantly became the starter. He’s an All-Star caliber player who is too good to be coming off of the bench.
That being said, many fans believe that there is no one on the roster to back him up and that the Heat should sign someone. That is, until now.
According to 5 Reasons Sports, a Miami Heat insider, the team is planning on giving those duties to Gabe Vincent. The 25-year-old point guard has spent the last two seasons with the Miami Heat.
He hasn’t got much of a chance thus far, but it seems as though this year he’ll have an opportunity to prove himself. This chance is coming off of a great performance in the Olympics with Team Nigeria.
His run was highlighted by an upset win over Team USA in an exhibition game. Vincent finished with 21 points and nailed six three-pointers, leading the way for Nigeria.
He may have played well with Team Nigeria, but going from getting barely any playing time to being the full-time backup point guard is no easy task. However, Vincent recently came out and said he is ready to take on the role.
The point guard spoke out about why he feels as though he is ready to be the backup point guard for Miami. He thinks that his playmaking and shooting abilities make him an ideal fit in today’s NBA.
He talked about his shooting struggles with the Heat, and how he probably didn’t live up to the expectation they had of him coming in. He was shooting super well in the G-League, but it didn’t translate right away to the NBA level.
Sometimes it just takes players a little time to get adjusted to the pace and physicality of the league. Given the right minutes and opportunity, Vincent could end up rising to the occasion.
He showed flashes of promise last year when the Miami Heat were dealing with injuries. Now, it seems as though he’ll have a much more regular role with the team.
So, instead of going out to get a backup point guard, it seems as though the Miami Heat are choosing to make an internal promotion of sorts. Hopefully, Vincent will be able to find success in his new expanded role.