The Miami Heat came into the offseason with goals in mind. They were going to secure another star, a leading point guard-type, and a three level scorer for their offensive woes and they did that in the acquisition of Kyle Lowry.
To add more toughness and defense around the core that now consisted of Lowry, the Miami Heat proceeded to bring in those types of guys and re-sign the ones that they wanted to keep. Before all of that is where the real fun and the real work was had and done.
The Miami Heat, which they often do, nabbed quite a few undrafted NBA Draft prospects to fill their developmental program up. Among some of those guys, there were sure to be standouts and there has been.
Marcus Garrett has surely earned himself some sort of roster spot. DeJon Jarreau, before taking a guaranteed deal, of sorts, with the Indiana Pacers, was well on his way to earning another.
With Jarreau gone and keeping in mind that Garrett has played well enough to be the 15th man on the roster, who might they sign for the two-way slots? It might still be Garrett… or not?
Here are our thoughts from here at AUCH.
Miami Heat: Who Should Be The Two 2-Way Guys – Looking At Memphis?
The Miami Heat have two two-way spots to fill and a bunch of quality players to choose from. However, there are two obvious names that should be brought up first.
Jack’s Thoughts (@JackSimoneNBA)
Marcus Garrett is the only clear choice for the Miami Heat to sign now that DeJon Jarreau is gone. He played extremely well in Summer League and deserves a shot in the NBA.
Garrett and Jarreau made up what was, arguably, the best defensive backcourt in Summer League and they each play a brand of basketball that the Miami Heat love. Since Jarreau signed with Indiana, Miami needs to prioritize signing Garrett.
The next choice to fill one of Miami’s two-way spots would be someone who didn’t actually play for their Summer League team. That’d be Yves Pons.
Pons played for Memphis’ Summer League team, but they don’t have the roster space to keep him around. Pons is an athletic freak, who is known for his defense and intensity.
He showed an improvement in regard to his three-point shooting during Summer League and would be a great addition to Miami’s roster. Garrett is the obvious first choices for the two two-way spots, but Pons should be up next.
Both would excel with the Miami Heat this year.
Miami Heat: Who Should Be The Two 2-Way Guys – Polarizing Much?
The assumption is that everyone would have agreed, Marcus Garrett and DeJon Jarreau would be the Miami Heat’s rook one and rook two of the two-way contracts.
Rich’s Thoughts (@followthepen)
This one should have been an easy call. But so should James Harden‘s travels.
In other words, always anticipate the unexpected in the NBA. Especially when the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson tweets informative texts that cast doubts:
Per source, Heat has conveyed interest in signing undrafted Houston guard DeJon Jarreau, who impressed in summer league, but hasn't conveyed whether Miami will offer two-way deal or Exhibit 10 deal. Miami has its 2 2-ways available; those players can play 50 NBA games next season
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) August 19, 2021
Interesting. Nonetheless, it was not enough insight to shake confidence.
Until, Fieldhouse Files’ Scott Agness let it be known that this was not just about prolonging the inevitable. Jarreau was signing with Miami’s forever-rival, the Indiana Pacers.
In a partial pivot, the Heat should set their sights on Garrett and a name that might be a polarizing one. That would be LiAngelo Ball.
In Garrett, the Heat get a former college Defensive Player of the Year, who showed a pertinence for picking Summer League pockets at a 2.8 steal per game clip. It is unknown if his 43 percent three-point shooting will sustain, but his defensive impact will translate.
On another accord, Ball would be strictly a developmental pick. The use of two-way contracts in Miami have mainly focused on one thing above all—shooting.
Duncan Robinson, Gabe Vincent, and Max Strus have all been hired as gunners from behind the line. Not to put Ball in that class, but his Summer League showed flashes of hustle and three-point shooting potential.
One game saw him shoot as high as 63 percent from behind the three-point line and another showcased a percentage as low a 25. If the Heat have faith that their system would bump Ball’s five-game average (35 percent) a bit, they should jump to develop another hungry shooter while the Charlotte Hornets drag their feet.
Similar to the way Indiana pounced on Jarreau. Garrett and Ball could be two 6-foot-5 splashes.
Hopefully, not in a hoop versus hype type of way.
Miami Heat: Who Should Be The Two 2-Way Guys – Mr.Conventional Huh?
Well, not to be Mr. Conventional, but you won’t see a guy from outside the Heat’s main developmental core here. Now that that’s out of the way.
My Thoughts
The Miami Heat have a ton of good developmental prospects in their program at the moment. Yes, losing DeJon Jarreau hurts but since there were so many to choose from initially and though he was among the best, he just makes their decisions, a bit, easier.
It’s been well-documented here already and throughout the course of the summer, Marcus Garrett will be on the roster, one way or another. While the running though, specifically here, is that he should be added as the 15th guy to create two developmental slots, the losing of Jarreau eases that pressure a bit.
There are still two guys worthy of having those slots though… if Garrett is signed to the regular roster. While that isn’t the topic here, assume that Garrett is one of the two-way slots that are offered.
Who should the other guy be? Well, it’s a guy that’s been on the radar and actually, doesn’t fall too far off from what DeJon Jarreau could have offered.
Javonte Smart, of LSU, also showed some good stuff in the Summer League. He is a big, do-it-all type of point guard, who isn’t shy, and can really shoot it when he gets going.
The only issue with Smart would be the fact that he knows he can “do-it-all”. For guys like him, Russell Westbrook in example and not to call them anything close but guys that can do so much on the floor, they often find themselves in trouble because they are trying to do it all.
Make the simple plays. Make the right plays.
That spectacular talent to get it done alone will be needed, at some point but more often than not, Javonte’s problem is being able to KISS… “Keep It Simple Stupid”, a common basketball and sports adage. Even with that though and in the Miami Heat’s program, that can be quelled.
That’s why I think that along with Marcus Garrett, Smart should get the other 2-way slot. It’s a pretty simple big guard swap for me.
If it could all really be so simple though, right? Who knows?
This though, has been the latest AUCH Roundtable on who we all think should be those guys. Hopefully, it’s not terribly complicated for the Miami Heat to figure out.