The Miami Heat didn't play musical chairs this summer, as they essentially bought back the same core from last year. Heat general manager Andy Elisburg clarified that acquiring Terry Rozier midseason was their offseason move. He might have a point.
Rozier can build on the chemistry with the guys now that he's cleared for 5-on-5 activities. He isn't entering the season as a 20-shot per guy game like he was in a Charolette Hornet uniform. I'd assume he entered last year with the mindset to score the ball and let the chips fall where they may.
He did just that, as Rozier averaged 23 points in 30 games with the Hornets. He struggled to finish at the rim while getting buckets in the Bible Belt. According to Cleaning The Glass, Rozier shot 57% on 134 rim attempts in Charlotte. Going to South Florida couldn't heat him up, as Rozier was a chilling 40/84 on-rim attempts in 31 games with Miami.
Rozier has never been an elite finisher at the basket, but if he can convert more of those drives into finishes, he would add a new element to the Heat that frees up others.
1. Terry Rozier's slick handle should lead to better shots at the basket
For starters, neither of the Heat's high-usage guards is Dwyane Wade-like in the paint. Their flaws show up differently. Tyler Herro had a down year last season but usually finishes in the 60th percentile among guards. He just doesn't take enough shots at the basket, as his highest rim frequency was in the 34th percentile. Rozier doesn't take shots at the rim often or finish well, which is puzzling.
The dazzling ball skills Rozier possesses allow him to maneuver uniquely. He dribbles with an unpredictable cadence. He accelerates and decelerates in one motion, granting him a red carpet to where he wants to go.
These tricks help Rozier easily get by his defenders. When he uses these moves to attack, he'll first shoot jumpers, secondarily throw lobs if defenders commit, and thirdly take a rim shot. We see him throwing up prayer layups or taking outside-the-paint floaters when he looks to score at the bucket. These looks aren't the most efficient shots at the basket for him. He's not scared of anything, so he's going down there to challenge giants as they come, but he could get simpler shots.
If Rozier can refine his game and use his airtight handles to create better finishing angles, his overall finishing could reach an average level. When Rozier's got it going, he's shown the ability to make contorted body finishes, left-hand layups, in-the-paint floaters and transition layups.
Taking more of these shots directly at the rim would improve his 48% finishing rate (maybe not the contorted layups, but he has that when needed). Taking these better shots would force defenders to pay more attention to a slashing Rozier, potentially leaving Bam Adebayo open at the rim for lob passes.
Rozier is a willing lob passer -- Bam saw a lot of lobs come his way when Rozier graced the floor with him. It's easier for Rozier to operate like more of a true floor general in Miami than in Charlotte. He doesn't have to carry the Heat on his shoulders like Hercules on the Hornets.
Among the Heat's guards, Rozier is the strongest shot-creator. But Miami's offense doesn't require him to be featured significantly more than Herro, Bam or Jimmy Butler. He's a capable playmaker who can lean into creating for others more while attacking and finishing better at the cup.
Scary Terry is not even asked to take more than 17 shots a game, which was all he knew in Charlotte. With his shot output decreasing (14 shots a game in Miami last year), Rozier can focus on things that got him his first NBA role.
2. Defense got you on the floor, so lean back into that
Coming out of Louisville, Rozier was known as a supernova fancy bucket-getter. He used his athleticism and 6-foot-8 wingspan to cause havoc on the ball defensively. Coaches never questioned his effort as he competed, guarding great players one-on-one.
It would take more than competing to get minutes in the NBA. Rozier was drafted by the Boston Celtics in 2015, joining a guard room that had superstar-level Isaiah Thomas, Marcus Smart and Avery Bradley. If Rozier wanted minutes, he'd need to find his knack because he wouldn't get much burn if he thought he would outshoot Isaiah Thomas.
Rozier became a pest on the defensive end. Constantly picking up guards 94 feet, constantly nagging ball handlers, and crashing the glass. Rozier snagged 7.3 rebounds per game per 36 minutes. At 6-foot-1, grabbing that many boards while you're on the floor shows the mindset Rozier was playing with. That mark still stands as a career-high. Rozier needs to bring that same energy to the Heat this year.
With Caleb Martin on the move, Rozier must step up as a point-of-attack defender. The Heat still employ local lockup man Haywood Highsmith, but many teams have more than one guard who can go. Haywood can take the number one guard every night, but who's guarding that second guy who can erupt?
Jimmy Butler has shown he can take on that challenge, but Rozier should be up for the task. He's younger and has a defensive pedigree. Rozier has not been that elite pest defender in years, but it's in him. His workload hasn't been this light since his Boston days, so maybe we can get some of that magic he played with in the 2018 playoffs.