Pelle Larsson's stock couldn't be any higher at the moment, but the Miami Heat may already have a big problem on their hands. It's the fact that Larsson needs to quickly improve his overall basketball IQ and find comfort in the big moments if he's going to play a big role for the team this season.
In a recent game during the EuroBasket Tournament against Finland, Larsson made an inexperienced mistake in the final moments that caused him to foul out. It may have been a small mistake in the grand scheme of the game, but one that proved costly for Team Sweden.
It will surely be a learning moment for Larsson, but the last thing the Heat needs is to worry about him making a similar mistake for them in a key moment this season.
Pelle Larsson is still a young and inexperienced player
Because of the summer he's having, it's easy for Heat fans to get a little carried away with the hype around Larsson. Has he had a great summer? Absolutely. Should bigger things be expected this year? Yes, no question. At the same time, fans should temper those expectations to a certain extent.
Here's the bottom line: He's not going to be a starter. It'd be shocking if he were in the top eight in the rotation right off the bat. And, perhaps most importantly, it should be remembered that he's still an extremely young player who is still developing and quite inexperienced.
The run he's been on this summer is positive. It should reinforce the idea that it does appear as if the Heat may have found a hidden gem with Larsson. However, fans should not set themselves up for disappointment.
There are going to be bumps in his development road still, and fouling out in a key moment for Team Sweden was certainly one of them. There will be others this season. But the Heat and their fans must continue to be patient with him.
That's something Miami and Larsson must figure out and solve together this season. Larsson is a young player who is still developing, but if he's going to embrace a much bigger role this year, and potentially carve out a defined spot in the rotation, he's going to need to cut down on those mistakes.
Even as a sophomore, Spo won't stand for it, and Larsson, because he's still so inexperienced, won't have much wiggle room for mistakes.
Larsson has had a superb developmental summer. But one thing is clear: If Larsson is going to factor into a big role for the Heat this season, he's going to have to cut down on the dumb mistakes and greatly improve his overall basketball IQ.
The good news is that Larsson does have all the potential in the world to do so; it's just going to take time. Some of that comes naturally, but most of it comes with experience. And that's simply what Larsson doesn't have much of right now.