It's almost abundantly clear now. Pelle Larsson is a player, and could be so much more for the Miami Heat if he continues on this developmental path. At this point, Larsson has been so much better than even the most optimistic of Heat fans could've imagined.
Interestingly enough, it didn't come that easily for Larsson this season. Even though he's done a great job over the last few games to prove that he deserves a larger role, let's remember that he was barely sniffing the floor through the first three games of the regular season.
Despite a strong summer, Larsson was still only playing an average of six minutes per game through the first handful of games this year. It wasn't until an injury to Norman Powell, in which the Heat almost had to give Larsson more minutes, that his value was truly appreciated.
Since being thrust into the starting lineup, Larsson is averaging 12 points, four assists, and three rebounds on 49 percent shooting from the field. His decision-making, one of the biggest question marks in his game, has also been significantly better so far this season.
Larsson has been so good that now, it's going to be extremely difficult to pull him back to the bench. So when Tyler Herro does make his return in the next couple of weeks, Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra is going to have one pretty difficult decision.
Spo needs to let Pelle Larsson grow
No matter how Spo ends up adjusting the starting lineup, or his eventual rotation once the team is at full strength, there's one move he must also make: keep Larsson in the rotation.
Even if he's relegated back to a bench role, the Heat need to continue to find minutes for the young wing. Every time he's on the floor, he manages to find a way to be a difference-maker. He may not be the most talented player on paper, but he consistently finds ways to make winning plays.
And that's exactly the type of player the Heat needs to lean on, not move away from.
Even though the Heat has been one of the hottest and coldest teams so far this season, Larsson is quickly proving that he's more than just an athletic wing with potential. He's making a strong claim that he should be considered a foundational supporting piece for this roster moving forward.
And this is a great development for a Heat franchise that needs to assemble as much talent as it can at this point. Heading into the season, there were many questions about Larsson's game. Slowly, he's already beginning to answer many of those, and just through the first 10 games of the season.