Heat post-Damian Lillard trade depth chart: Who starts at point guard?
By Wes Goldberg
After failing to acquire Damian Lillard this summer, the Miami Heat will go into training camp with clarity on the superstar front, but many unanswered questions when it comes to the rotation.
The Heat will take 21 players into training camp in Boca Raton next week, 13 of whom are under standard contracts. The remaining players will compete for Miami’s three two-way spots and perhaps even a chance to crack the 15-man roster.
Things can still change. The Heat are reportedly a team to watch to trade for Jrue Holiday, and other players remain on the block. Team president Pat Riley, VP of basketball operations Andy Elisburg, general manager Adam Simon and coach Erik Spoelstra will have plenty of decisions to make, but here’s where the depth chart stands for now.
Point guard
- Tyler Herro
- Kyle Lowry
- Dru Smith (two-way)
No, Tyler Herro is not a true point guard. But the thinking here is that, with Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler handling the ball most of the time, the Heat don’t need a traditional point guard. Instead, the Heat can start Herro, their most dynamic scorer, to balance the floor as a secondary ball-handler and attacker. The Heat would do well to explore the Adebayo-Herro pick-and-roll more this season and see if that can be a consistent source of offense.
Lowry is the only traditional point guard on the roster, so it might seem strange to bring him off the bench. But that’s also a really good reason to bring him off the bench! When one (or both) of Butler and Adebayo are off the court, the Heat will need more reliable ball-handling. Lowry can set the table for the second unit while Erik Spoelstra can continue to manage his playing time to around the 20-minute mark. It’s worth noting that Miami’s most successful stretch last season came with Lowry coming off the bench.