Miami Heat: Duncan Robinson & ESPN Ranks Prove Player Value Is Solely Cost-Based

The Miami Heat have a really nice core heading into the new season. This core, now, consists of Kyle Lowry, Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson.

With the last name on that list coming off of signing a fresh new deal and for nearly $100 million dollars with the Miami Heat, it’ll be on him to live up to the terms of that contract. While that is always a conversation, no matter the player, it actually brings life to a phenomenon that isn’t talked about enough.

In professional sports, players can be flat-out good, as that’s just the fact of it all. However and even if you are just good at something, such as Duncan Robinson and shooting the long-ball, you’re only as good as your perceived production to cost ratio.

What that means is that if you are a guy producing at a certain high level and making a smaller salary, then you are a great value and piece. If you are producing at that same level and making more money, not so much.

The Miami Heat are set up to win a title and Duncan Robinson will be a huge part of that. Well, he better be for nearly $100 million dollars.

Here is the proof. It comes from ESPN’s latest set of player rankings heading into the upcoming NBA season.

Here is what they had to say on the Miami Heat’s sharpshooter, Duncan Robinson. He came in at number 92 in these rankings, after being ranked 75th last season.

This is a blurb from ESPN’s Nick Friedell.

"One big question: Will Robinson live up to his $90 million contract? The Heat sharpshooter has shown he can let it fly at the highest level — but now he’s got to prove he’s worth the investment that Pat Riley, Erik Spoelstra and his staff believe he’s worth after inking a big deal over the summer. Robinson’s continued growth will be crucial for a Heat team trying to claw out of the East again."

When you read this blurb, what’s the first thing that you see? Well and quite literally, the first sentence goes into his contract.

While he did have a down year shooting the ball last season, from nearly 45 percent to just nearly 41 (being sarcastic), it wasn’t down enough to fall that much. That would lead one to believe that the perception of value or rankings among to some… is simply based on the ratio of “production to how much you are being paid”.

That means that if you are making proverbial peanuts and shooting 40 percent on eight or more attempts from range per game… you are gold. However, if you are doing the same and making nearly $100 million to do it… you are constantly on the hot seat or being analyzed.

It’s a phenomenon that has been at work in the NBA and in professional sports for years and talked about as so, so, you knew it existed. However, this is literal proof.

That’s how Duncan Robinson and these ESPN rankings prove that player value or rankings are solely based on their cost.