The Miami Heat brought Kyle Lowry in this offseason and it was, by some accounts, the move of the offseason. It still has to all play out the right way between the lines though.
Don’t fret though, as that should all fall into place nicely too. But how?
There are multiple ways that this will get done. He adds so much to this team and on both sides of the floor, the cherry on top of the whole concoction.
It’s not just about him and what he brings as an individual talent though. The things he will allow them to get done and the things that he will help Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and the rest of the guys get done are also worth their weight in gold.
As far as the Miami Heat, specifically, what are some things that they need him to directly help address? There are a few things that come to mind.
It’s a good question and every good one, especially, deserves an answer. Here are the three main deficiencies that Kyle Lowry immediately helps them address.
Miami Heat: Deficiencies That Kyle Lowry Help – Lead-Guard Defense
The Miami have struggled here, at times, for the last few seasons. While Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and even Gabe Vincent for a slight stretch, showed a ton of promise defending other lead guards across the NBA, opposing ball-handlers still found a way to terrorize Miami on a ton of occasions as well.
Lack Of A On-Ball Defender For Other Lead Guards
It’s not always about the scoring, per se, that the opposing guards can do to the Miami Heat, as much as it is the totality of what kind of havoc that can create.
Not only can guys like Trae Young or Steph Curry get into your paint to do damage, but they can do so to create passing lanes, space for their team, or space for themselves in the form of the fear they might blow by the defender.
Not that there is an end all be all for the elite guard-types like that either, but a guy like Kyle Lowry should go a long way towards putting up a sturdy wall of resistance. One of the more dogged guards in the league, a bulldog by tons of accounts, he’s a guy that you don’t have to worry about on that end as much as other lead guards.
That’s one of the many great qualities that made him a great fit for the Miami Heat and why they should be thrilled to have him. That’s the first deficiency he helps address.
Miami Heat: Deficiencies That Kyle Lowry Help – Starting Ability & 2nd Guy
The Miami Heat have several really bad habits, like… things they just can’t seem to shake. The whole RSHK (Random Scrub Heat Killer) phenomenon is indicative of one, in example.
Here’s another. It should be one that causes trauma.
Lack Of Starting Ability
Whether it be to begin individual games, halves, quarters, or even a season, the Miami Heat can just suck when it comes to their starting ability. They are closers of the highest order, when given the opportunity in closing moments, but they can’t start, at times, and it really hurts them.
Kyle Lowry and his ability to generate offense, again for himself or others, will help a lot there. He should be able to get them jumpstarted in those moments where they don’t seem to have it early on, be that in a period, half, game, or to begin a certain sector of the year.
Lack Of Second Go-To Scorer
The Miami Heat are a little weird in this way. You know where your production is going to come from in any given area, on most nights, but they didn’t really have a second true go-to guy.
Bam has to become more aggressive in order to become that. Tyler Herro was a bit too inconsistent last season to fully take on that role. Victor Oladipo is capable, but that requires health.
Duncan Robinson is so one-dimensional right now, that he couldn’t be it, also providing the spacing and opportunities that said “one-dimension” provides everyone else. It could go on and on, however, the fact is that Kyle Lowry is their second go-to guy… perhaps the first on part of the nights.
The Miami Heat are much better off with him on the roster and that could mean great things throughout his tenure. Great, could even mean a title and that’s what they should be looking towards.
He should help fix these issues, quite a few others, and if he can, they are well on their way.