The Miami Heat have officially signed Marcus Garrett to a two-way contract. The 6-5 combo guard impressed everybody during Summer League, and many believed this signing was inevitable.
Garrett is the first two-way player the Heat signed for this season. The team will have one two-way spot left, but who they will use it on is currently up in the air.
It was widely believed that the Heat would look to sign DeJon Jarreau to a two-way deal, but the Pacers swooped in and stole him away. Regardless, the Garrett signing will be great for both parties involved.
Since Garrett is now officially a member of the Miami Heat, how can he make an impact? What does the signing mean for both him and the Heat as a team?
What does the Marcus Garrett signing mean for the Miami Heat: Extra guard depth
If it weren’t obvious, having another guard on the roster will help provide some depth at the position. Gabe Vincent is the go-to backup point guard, but Garrett will certainly make an impact, too.
By having an extra guard on the roster, the Heat have more options if something doesn’t work out. His defense and playmaking will certainly come in handy.
Before Miami signed Garrett, their point guard rotation consisted of Kyle Lowry, Gabe Vincent, and, kind of, Tyler Herro. While those three can handle the duties, everyone needs a break and having Garrett as an extra option is super important.
He will also be the only defensive-minded guard on the roster, though Lowry is a solid defender. The depth he brings to the Miami Heat will be invaluable, even if he can only play 50 games with the team.
What does the Marcus Garrett signing mean for the Miami Heat: More versatility
The Miami Heat have a solid mix of skillsets on their roster, but signing Marcus Garrett will add a whole new dimension to the team. His versatility will allow Erik Spoelstra to experiment a lot this season.
Garrett is a 6-5 point guard, who in reality is more of a combo guard. Though he’s not the best three-point shooter, he has shown the ability to make shots from that distance.
During his time in Summer League, Garrett shot 42.9% from deep on 2.3 attempts per game. Though it was a small sample size, his improvement from deep traces all the way back to his senior year at Kansas.
In his first three years with the Jayhawks, Garrett shot 33% or less in every season. However, in his final year in college, he upped that number to 34.8% on 2.3 attempts per game.
The versatility factor comes in when considering how dominant Garrett is on the defensive end. The Heat don’t really have a player quite like him on their bench.
Vincent is a solid offensive player, but he’s not as unique as Garrett is on defense. With Garrett around, Spoelstra will have a defensive-minded guard he can throw into the lineup.
The three-point shooting is important because Garrett can be on the court for his defense without the Heat losing much on the offensive end. He’s not the offensive player that Herro or Vincent is, but he can still do the job.
Garrett’s defensive capabilities provide some solid versatility off of Miami’s bench. His skillset fits in super well with the team the Heat built.
What does the Marcus Garrett signing mean for the Miami Heat: Another future piece
It may be jumping the gun a bit, but having Marcus Garrett around gives the Miami Heat another young piece to grow with. At only 22 years old, Garrett still has a ton of room to grow as a player.
As of now, the Heat are set up perfectly to compete right now and for years to come. This is because a good portion of their core is still super young.
Bam Adebayo is by far their best young star at only 24 years old. They also have Max Strus (25), Gabe Vincent (25), KZ Okpala (22), Omer Yurtseven (23), and Tyler Herro (21).
This could be considered one of the better young cores in the NBA. Garrett will join them, and could honestly help fill some holes in that potential future rotation.
While it is unlikely that the aforementioned young core remains identical to what it is now, it’s not impossible. If that were to be the case, Garrett fits a very specific need.
Garrett would be able to provide some much-needed defense at the guard position. As good as Herro, Strus, and Vincent are, none are elite defenders on the perimeter.
It’s very wishful thinking to assume that Garrett will definitely be a part of Miami’s long-term plans. However, at the same time, there’s no reason he can’t be.
Having Garrett on the team gives the Miami Heat another young player to work with and try to develop. It’s always great to have young talent.