Ranking the 5 players most responsible for the Heat's success next season

3. Terry Rozier

It’s difficult to assess Rozier’s fit with the team given that he played only 31 games with a rotating cast before having his season cut short by a neck injury, but there are a few stats that offer a glimpse at what he brings to Miami’s table:

• After Rozier found his footing, he averaged 19 points on 45.2% shooting (42.3% on 3s) and 4.2 assists over his last 20 games before getting injured.
• Only Butler and Herro averaged more drives per game than Rozier, who drove to the basket twice as much as his predecessor Kyle Lowry, according to Second Spectrum data.
• The Heat outscored their opponents by 5.3 points per 100 possessions with Rozier and Butler on the court, per Cleaning the Glass.

Rozier developed chemistry with Adebayo in the pick-and-roll and fed him more lobs than any player on the team, and having Rozier handle the ball allowed the Heat to play a more conventional pick-and-roll offense.

That should become a staple of the Heat’s offense next season. Whether Rozier is running it with Adebayo in the first unit or with rookie Kel’el Ware in the second unit, it will provide the Heat with a rinse-and-repeat procedure they missed last season.

Rozier shouldn’t be asked to carry the offense. That’s on someone else. But if he can be a safe and efficient second or third option, that will go a long way in generating consistent points.