2. Haywood Highsmith Showed Flashes of a Shooting Leap
I already mentioned the Heat’s struggle to find shooters who don’t hurt the team on defense. On the flip side, finding great defensive players who don’t kill the team’s spacing on offense has been equally difficult.
In other words, the Heat have a specialist problem. Haywood Highsmith is known as a defensive specialist, and rightfully so. Basketball Index ranks him in the 95th percentile in perimeter isolation defense, and it’s not just his ability to stay in front of guys. Highsmith is a playmaker on defense, using his disruptive hands to wreak havoc. He averaged more than two stocks(steals plus blocks) and three deflections per 75 possessions last season.
I’m hopeful this will be the year Highsmith graduates from specialist to two-way player.
He showed real signs of a shooting leap last season, shooting 40% on catch-and-shoot 3s. It’s also encouraging that more than half of his 3-point attempts were above the break, where he shot better than league average. Overall, Highsmith was in the 65th percentile in 3-point percentage.
The problem was his volume, at less than three attempts per game. Having the fortitude to keep letting it fly with confidence is the key to making defenses respect your jump shot, and if they don’t respect it, you’re hurting spacing.
Highsmith did show signs of growing confidence in his jumper, and he even hit some clutch threes without hesitation. If he can do this on a consistent basis, defenses will have no choice but to close out harder on him.
HAYWOOD WITH ICE IN HIS VEINS 🥶 pic.twitter.com/Ok8r7hyBVs
— Bally Sports Sun: HEAT (@BallyHEAT) April 10, 2024
Elite point-of-attack and wing defenders who provide space for stars to operate are the ultimate ceiling raisers come playoff time. If Highsmith can truly be considered a threat from beyond the arc, then the Heat have an elite role player on their hands.