Kendrick Nunn: Bounce-Back or Bounce-Out

Kendrick Nunn is probably one of the more intriguing players heading into this next season for the Miami Heat.

He had a solid rookie season, in which he finished second in Rookie of the Year voting. But after a disappointing bubble stretch, he isn’t getting the same respect.

He had some personal issues and Covid when he was heading in, so it was obvious that basketball wasn’t the primary thing on his mind. Then he went from starting point guard to out of the rotation, so that clearly had to weigh on his mind as well.

But what stood out most, in my opinion, was the heart he showed in the NBA Finals when he got some minutes. There were many moments that Miami couldn’t get anything going, since they were without Goran Dragic and Bam Adebayo, but Nunn stepped up and hit some shots like he did all season.

With all that said, it seems as if Nunn should go back to a similar role heading into his second season, but that’s not the case.

He will be the third guard coming off the bench, since Goran Dragic and Avery Bradley will clearly have a bigger role than Nunn. As I’ve mentioned though, depth will be key this season and Miami has it, but Nunn still won’t have a defined role in the rotation.

There’s still a chance he can get some free-lancing minutes and shine, but there just isn’t a clear opening in the rotation to insert Kendrick Nunn right now.

That means that Erik Spoelstra will experiment with him in the first half of the season, then Miami can consider flipping him at the deadline.

Once again, his offensive talent has shined many times, which means he should be getting minutes and trying to develop with a defined role in this league. But I’m not so sure Miami fits that criteria for him right now.

We will see what ends up happening this season, and if Nunn can show out for the Heat right away, then that’s a good problem to have if you’re Miami. But then it’s decision time for Erik Spoelstra and the coaching staff.