Tag Archive for: KZ Okpala

Could the KZ Okpala Unleashing Happen Now? I Believe So

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KZ Okpala is one of the most intriguing players on this Heat team, mostly since everybody seems to be fascinated with the unknown. But we kind of do know what he’s capable of, after his big time scoring display in the preseason.

Many have been wondering when he will get his chance to shine in this rotation, and I believe that opportunity comes now.

Miami will be facing the Milwaukee Bucks in a back to back home-stand starting tomorrow night, and it seems as if there is no better time for him to get some run. And here’s why.

For starters, there hasn’t been an update on the injury status of Jimmy Butler, and since it’s a back to back, I’d expect him to sit out at least one of those games.

That obviously means there’s an opening at the wing position, which makes me think he could get thrown in off the bench for some spark minutes.

And even if Jimmy Butler played both games, I believe we see some minutes for him. Back to backs are always when the depth comes alive, especially with a turnaround as quick as the Miami Heat just went through.

Also, this is the first bundled up set of games that the Miami Heat are going into. And as I’ve mentioned quite a lot, it’s a circumstance where Erik Spoelstra can strive with his creativity.

That includes changing the rotation from one night to the next, by possibly inserting KZ Okpala.

There are tons of reasons why this back to back against Milwaukee seems to be Okpala’s first real NBA opportunity with something to prove.

And if the coaching staff wants to get another good look at him, why not throw him out there against one of the best players in today’s NBA, in Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Losing Jae Crowder in the off-season hurts the ability to overpower Giannis with physical bodies. But if KZ emerges by playoff time, he may be a key piece to stopping the league’s MVP.

Opportunities come pretty quickly on this Heat team right now. Just ask rookie Precious Achiuwa.

If KZ gets his chance over the next two days, there’s a possibility he may earn his spot for good.

Could KZ Okpala be the Starter on Opening Night?

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It is not a coincidence that there’s a similar process that the Miami Heat put certain players through to make sure they’re ready.

Playing in the G-League throughout their rookie year, going back and forth from the Heat roster to G-League, uncertainty if they will crack the rotation, and then as Duncan Robinson did it, starting by opening night.

If we just saw this play out last season, what makes you think the same thing won’t happen again?

For starters, there is clearly not a lock at that power forward position, especially with the questions regarding Moe Harkless.

As of right now, Moe is interchangeable, and as some have mentioned, he’s a place holder. And even if Moe does get the starting spot, he probably won’t be on the floor for long after a few reach in fouls.

But even forgetting the role of Harkless, KZ looked to prove himself and more in last night’s preseason performance against the Raptors.

One thing I mentioned all week regarding KZ is that he just needed confidence. He seemed a bit scared on Monday and passed up a ton of good looks, which is why I said he’d come out with a purpose last night after watching film.

Scoring 24 points and knocking down 6 threes on 60% shooting from beyond the arc should not be taken lightly. That is an incredible stat line, especially for someone who hasn’t seen much floor time at the NBA level.

And as much as everybody will continue to harp on his offensive play, his defensive presence should not be overlooked.

He clearly doesn’t back down from a challenge, as Erik Spoelstra said, since he started the game guarding Paschal Siakam, and even switched over to Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet at times.

There were nonstop discussions last season about finding that perimeter defender to plug some holes, and he was at the end of their bench the whole time. The scouting department knew he had it in him for quite some time, which is why they should get a ton of credit once again following that performance.

But was that performance good enough to propel him to the starting power forward position?

Well, just remember, Moe Harkless was completely healthy last night. I know it is preseason but there’s a reason he got plugged in there yesterday.

Duncan Robinson jumped into the starting lineup when there wasn’t even a clear opening.

And it seems as if things are opening perfectly for KZ Okpala right now.

The starting position is up in the air, so don’t be surprised if he’s starting in the season opener on Wednesday.

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Preseason Game Vs Raptors

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Well, the Miami Heat had a picture perfect performance against the Toronto Raptors on Friday night, mostly since their young prospects stepped up more than anybody could’ve expected. Since it’s preseason, it’s obvious that my takeaways begin there, so here are my five takeaways…

1. Well, KZ Okpala has been unleashed.

Many Heat fans have been so intrigued by the unknown of KZ Okpala. And well, now it’s known. Before discussing his offensive showing, his defense should not be overlooked. His perimeter defense is clearly a huge strength for him, and that’s been Miami’s weakness as of late, especially against a team like the Raptors. Seeing KZ put an immense amount of pressure on guys like Paschal Siakam was a great sign, mostly since he truly knows how to utilize his length to his advantage. Now to the offensive side of things, I don’t think anybody could’ve expected him to come out firing like he did, scoring 16 first half points with 4 threes. The corner three seemed to be there and he took advantage of it. I mentioned we’d see an aggressive KZ after he looked over the film, and that’s exactly what he did. He was confident putting the ball on the deck and driving to the rim. A confident KZ Okpala is a dangerous KZ Okpala.

2. Max Strus comes out firing.

Max Strus’ name was getting thrown around following Miami’s first preseason game, but in a very different manner. He struggled a bit early on Monday, but many seemed to forget that he was getting thrown into the fire. But well, it only took one game for him to get acquainted, going 3 for 3 from beyond the arc once subbed in. One thing about Miami Heat youth is that they have something to prove. Those are the types of guys that Miami targets, and it was clear he was ready to showcase his worth. As I’ve mentioned in the past, we’ve seen this story before with the Miami Heat. And when they begin to rave about their performances in training camp or practice, it should be no surprise that they are talented. Now it’ll be interesting to see how he is utilized moving forward.

3. Precious Achiuwa makes the necessary adjustments.

The things I mentioned were necessary for Precious Achiuwa to adjust were things involving the dribble hand-off and pick and roll. He came right in and began to set good, hard screens, which was clearly something they went over in film. That is a great sign for his ability to learn and adjust fairly quickly. Those hard screen then lead to easy points around the rim, especially when Goran Dragic is directing traffic. Goran set him up a few times, since Precious’ burst of energy after setting a screen is unmatched. And as discussed previously, he has great touch around the rim, which is something that you can’t teach. It’s obvious after evaluating Miami’s three young projects that the Heat’s development program deserves an immense amount of credit.

4. Bam Adebayo, playing at 20% speed, still looked impressive offensively.

Bam Adebayo definitely wasn’t a main topic from this game, mostly since he didn’t need to be. He clearly wasn’t playing at the same speed as usual, which is a good thing, but still showed huge strides of his offensive game involving his jumper. He displayed different variations of it, including the jab step, dribble pull-ups, and more. Once again, there’s not much to dive into when discussing Bam in this preseason game, but these flashes of his shooting ability is really a great sign. The confidence level when attempting them is what stands out most, since that’s been the question when talking about his full offensive package. And once again, there’s still so much more that we haven’t seen.

5. Just a friendly reminder that Jimmy Butler isn’t playing yet.

My main takeaway from this game is that their superstar, Jimmy Butler, wasn’t playing, and at times you may not have realized. One thing about Jimmy is that he has such a great impact when he’s on the floor, that he makes everybody better. And Miami getting some floor time without their leader may hold more value than you think. Duncan Robinson’s gravity is always being discussed, but what about Jimmy Butler’s gravity? When he begins to attack, it allows for Tyler Herro open threes or Bam Adebayo open dunks. So making Tyler and Bam have to create for themselves was important in these two games. Ultimately, Jimmy Butler will be returning on the first game of the regular season, which means every one of the players discussed will improve greatly.

What is the Next Step for KZ Okpala?

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After finally seeing KZ Okpala hit the floor with the Miami Heat for solid minutes in the first preseason game, the question now becomes what is next.

The topic with KZ has continually been what is the first step, such as evaluating his overall game and abilities. And well, now it’s time to see how he adjusts.

One thing that stuck out in his first performance was hesitance. There were plenty of times that he seemed almost scared to have the ball in his hands or put it on the floor, which obviously needs to change.

Once again, this is not to over analyze Okpala’s first game, since confidence is something that will slowly increase over time. But I believe Miami’s coaching staff is telling KZ one thing heading into Friday.

Play loose.

The reason he had such great impact in the G-League was because he played so freely. He wasn’t afraid to grab the ball off the rim and take it coast to coast.

This is the time to just leave it all on the floor, since showcasing the level of potential is essential.

It was good to see him knock down that corner three once he came in the game, but I have a feeling we see a much more attack heavy KZ Okpala on Friday.

There are not many preseason games to really get a good look at him, so utilizing these two were going to be important, since although training camp may improve his game, there is nothing like real game speed.

KZ is still one of the most intriguing players on the roster, so it’ll be interesting to see him take the training wheels off a bit on Friday.

Miami Heat Preseason: A Youthful Showcase

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The Miami Heat are set to face off against the New Orleans Pelicans in their first preseason game on Monday, and well, it holds more value than you may think.

Something that has been discussed quite a lot lately is that the absence of Summer League, as well as the G-League, will ultimately take a toll on most rookies. Especially with a guy like Precious Achiuwa, since Miami’s developmental program allows guys to evolve rather quickly.

Due to not seeing any of them play in any type of NBA level game speed, the preseason games will be utilized as a type of showcase, especially for Miami.

The Heat’s rotation seems uncertain heading into the season, since not only do they have a lot of depth, but they have a lot of youth who have a chance at making yet another jump.

That starts with Precious Achiuwa and KZ Okpala, since giving them NBA level reps is the most essential element.

When Erik Spoelstra spoke about KZ, he mentioned that he just needs to put it all together. And the only way to do that is to get some quality minutes so he can get a taste.

Another guy that may benefit from the preseason games is Kendrick Nunn. He’s one of the most interesting names on the roster heading into the season, since on paper he’s probably the 5th guard, but he also is coming off a very impressive rookie season. There is a bit of recency bias after his play in the bubble, but he is still a quality rotaional piece who is still developing.

But as I mentioned, the preseason will be a showcase for the players, as well as an evaluation period for the coaches. If Kendrick shows offensive flashes as he did early in the regular season, there is no doubt that he will be utilized frequently on this Heat team this season.

Most of Miami’s players have pretty much proven themselves, but those three can definitely increase their value in these limited preseason games.

The coaching staff will not be making any rotational decisions that will be set in stone, which means if somebody shows some flashes, they can be inserted at any time.

This is the young guys time to shine. Go prove your worth.

KZ Okpala: “I Feel Good in my Development”

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KZ Okpala got to speak with media this morning and it was clearly different from other players.

For one, there’s still uncertainty about his style of play or strengths since he hasn’t played much for Miami.

He did say though that he feels good in his development, and that he “learned a lot.”

When talking about his development, his body seems to be the thing that he is trying to take care of the most. After mentioning that he’s been gaining muscle and is at 5.5% body fat, he said “I think the main thing for me is to be in great shape.”

One of the main things that helped him learn was the young guys, including Tyler Herro, Kendrick Nunn, and Duncan Robinson. After he saw them get the opportunities that they got this past season, it gave him a different perspective, which he said, “Seeing how they work really inspired me.”

He has also taken a lot from Jimmy Butler, especially after his bubble run. KZ said, “It was nothing I’ve ever seen…I truly believe he’s the best.” He then elaborated about his leadership on the team, since Jimmy can yell at him and he doesn’t take offense.

When discussing his exact strengths on the court, he spoke about his defensive abilities mostly, since that is where he strives. But he also mentioned his offensive skill-set, which he said, “With the play-makers we have, I feel I can score off cuts.”

He doesn’t believe his offensive package ends there though, since he also said “I’m confident with my three ball.”

Most importantly, he just seems very ready to get out on that court and perform. The confidence the organization and team has given him has been essential, since he said, “The way they are pushing me means they care.”

And that is obvious, since they’ve been very reluctant to include him in any trade packages this off-season. It is going to be interesting to see how Erik Spoelstra utilizes him, since he has the attributes to make an immediate impact for this team.

Miami Has a Plan: Unknown Development

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The Miami Heat made two decent signings in free agency thus far after retaining Goran Dragic and Meyers Leonard. They brought in Avery Bradley and Moe Harkless on very good contracts.

This meant that they lost Jae Crowder to the Phoenix Suns. Although they made two big time acquisitions, that Crowder role will need to be filled, and I think it’ll be an in-house move.

Moe Harkless, in my opinion, is the replacement of Derrick Jones Jr, while Avery Bradley is the big time point of attack defender that Miami has needed. Now that the power forward position needs to be filled, there are two 21 year olds waiting to make that jump.

If Miami doesn’t go after a Jae Crowder replacement, it’s a clear indication that they believe in KZ Okpala or Precious Achiuwa to make that jump, or maybe even both.

It’s basically the Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro situation from this past season. A rookie immediately having a role, while a second year player who spent his rookie year in the G-League makes a big impact. We’ve seen this play out before, so what makes you think Pat Riley won’t do it again?

There’s a reason that Miami is reluctant to include KZ Okpala in any deals. It’s because they see something special in him, which isn’t a term that’s handed out freely from the Miami Heat’s organization. And Precious Achiuwa seems to be getting a lot of love too, since Pat Riley doesn’t always show that same excitement for an incoming rookie every year.

Since there’s less time for an incoming rookie to prepare, I believe KZ Okpala would probably be the more likely option that Miami’s waiting to let free. But once again, Precious could possibly be that guy as well.

As I said at the start of free agency, Miami will have a plan if Jae Crowder walks. Although that plan was to sign Avery Bradley, that is not a Crowder filler. And the reason they didn’t try and fill Crowder’s shoes in free agency, is because they already have two young wings ready to make that jump.

KZ Okpala. Precious Achiuwa. Your time is now. Go earn your spot.

#BugBrady: Taking Your Miami Heat Questions #4

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Well, Miami definitely views KZ Okpala as apart of their young core for the future.

The reason that is so clear is because they are very reluctant to include KZ in possible trades for a star. They’ve seen his potential since the NBA draft, since they were set to pick KZ with the 13th overall pick if Tyler Herro was already taken.

I believe he has a role in Miami’s rotation this next season, basically replacing what Derrick Jones Jr was asked to do.

And as I’ve mentioned before, he’s going through a similar process that Duncan Robinson went through, by going back and forth between the G-League and Heat team in his rookie year while flying under the radar. I don’t think it’ll be exactly like Duncan, since he went immediately into the starting lineup, but he definitely will have a role.

Miami has high hopes for his future and Heat fans should too.

Well, these are definitely two separate questions.

I believe that Tyler Herro should be included in a possible deal for Giannis Antetokounmpo if needed, but I definitely don’t feel the same way about Jrue Holiday.

The only way Pat Riley and Miami’s front office will send away Tyler Herro is for a generational talent like Giannis. Jrue Holiday is a solid player, and I believe he’d fit tremendously on this Heat team, but it’s not a clear upgrade in Miami’s eyes.

Obviously Jrue is a better player than Tyler, especially on the defensive end, but he is also 10 years older than Herro. And it’s also been reported that Miami would not include Tyler Herro in any possible trade for Jrue.

But once again, if the only way to get Giannis is via trade, Miami definitely would think about trading Herro away to get the whale.

De’Aaron Fox’s three point shooting actually wouldn’t concern me at all.

For one, he’s the number one option on the Sacramento Kings, which means efficiency is not always his worry. Instead, he just makes sure to get a bunch of shots up, even if shooting isn’t his best attribute.

But if he was the third option on this Heat team, his shot selection would change dramatically, including a lot more open corner threes.

And by the way, when you have Duncan Robinson on the floor, shooting should never be a worry.

Adding De’Aaron Fox to Miami’s offense would not hurt them, instead their offense would be even more fluid and it would improve their offensive speed. It’s also clear what he would do to Miami’s defense, since he can lock up any opposing guards.

If Miami can reunite this Kentucky duo, it would be pretty ideal.

KZ Okpala Is Up Next For Miami

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It was no coincidence that Miami’s second round draft pick KZ Okpala went through a similar rookie season as second year player Duncan Robinson.

Duncan went through his rookie year with a two-way contract, spending most of his time getting ready for the Sioux Falls Skyforce team. He put up an intriguing stat line of 21 points a game, along with close to 5 threes per game as well.

Chet Kammerer even told the Sun Sentinel, “We purposely didn’t bring him in,” which is exactly what I’ve been saying Miami has been doing with KZ Okpala all along.

Although KZ wasn’t putting up 21 a game in the G-League, he was filling up the stat sheet quite nicely. He averaged 12 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists, but what jumped out most was his 1.4 steals and 1.1 blocks a game.

Something I’ve noticed with the G-League is that it always seems to spotlight a player’s strength, like Duncan hitting 5 threes a game. And KZ’s spotlight has clearly been on the defensive side of the ball.

Obviously his length and quickness to guard guys out on the perimeter is just a God-given talent, but his tenacity and energy on defense just screams Heat culture.

And it’s hard to truly talk about a player’s defensive abilities until he’s guarding players in the actual league, but he seemed to showcase that talent when he got inserted into the game against Sacramento early in the season.

 

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The first thing that stood out from his defensive abilities that night was how quick he can move his feet. They played a lot of zone in that game with him at the top of it, and he just never stopped moving. And you may say that the word length is overstated at times with players, but KZ definitely used it to his advantage. Kings players had major trouble trying to get good shots off over his contests.

The only downfall that was shown in that game was foul trouble. He makes it such a priority to put as much effort as possible on that side of the ball, that he begins to reach which forces the whistle to get blown. Some of it may have had something to do with the fact that he had a small frame, but it’s clear he’s continued to add muscle and change his body.

With Derrick Jones Jr possibly leaving in free agency, it’s the perfect opportunity for KZ to step up into a new role in Miami’s rotation. Miami always seems to put the ultimate amount of trust in their players, which is why they started Duncan Robinson and Erik Spoelstra made comments prior to the season that he’s the best shooter in the NBA.

I believe they show KZ that same exact trust by giving him an increased amount of minutes on the first game of the season.

Once again, it’s not a coincidence that they gave KZ a year to work himself in like Duncan did, it’s just their process.

There’s also a reason that Miami seems reluctant to include KZ Okpala in trade packages for solid players. It’s because Pat Riley and the Heat front office see something in him, and that speaks major volume.

#BugBrady: Taking Your Miami Heat Questions #2

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Honestly, if we’re talking about realistic possibilities, I would like to see a Jae Crowder re-signing more than anything. Obviously there is hope that Miami can throw him a big one year deal and try to get someone else, but in my opinion that should be priority.

We can discuss possible fits next to Bam Adebayo, mostly since there is a need for a rebounding big, but Jae had a pretty great run at the 4 next to Bam in the Bubble. If you take a look back, he had an amazing stretch shooting the ball, which was not something expected when Miami brought him here originally. He had some cold stretches towards the end of the run, but he kept that hot streak going longer than many expected.

His defensive presence was also known upon arrival, but he was given a much bigger defensive role throughout the playoffs. He had to guard Giannis Antetokounmpo for most of the Milwaukee series, and held his own against Jayson Tatum. And when he was asked to guard opposing bigs on the Lakers, he did that as well.

Miami could really use Jae Crowder next season, and it’s a pretty realistic signing.

You mentioned it right there, Serge Ibaka is the most ideal signing. I’ve mentioned in the past that I don’t think there’s a better player to put next to Bam than Serge Ibaka. He’s everything you’d want, since he can rebound, protect the rim, and space the floor.

And when I say space the floor, I don’t just mean that he can shoot the three ball, which he can. I really mean that he has a great feel for the game, that he knows where to position himself offensively to find dead spots. It helps that he played with a dynamic Toronto Raptors team, so he had to get out of others way. He likes to position himself on the baseline right outside of the paint, since he can be a disruption on the glass. This would allow Bam to work in his favorite spots, mostly at the free throw line extended.

He also brings another element to their offense, which is a solid post-up game. Bam and Ibaka have such opposite playing styles, that I truly believe that big-man duo would work perfectly.

If Miami has a chance to grab Serge Ibaka, they will jump at it as fast as possible.

Well, I don’t know about significant, but I do believe that KZ Okpala could find himself a solid bench role.

Duncan Robinson bounced back and forth from the G-League to the Heat team all of his rookie year, much like KZ has. And look where he is now. This gave Duncan an entire season and off-season to be fully ready to make an immediate impact.

It seems like that’s the way they’re heading with KZ Okpala, especially since there’s a good chance Derrick Jones Jr won’t be in Miami next season. They are hoping he can take the role of DJJ, just younger and cheaper.

He showed during the season that he is an energetic defensive guy, and many believe his offensive package is evolving more and more.

Once again, I don’t know about significant impact, but I do believe he has a role next season off of Miami’s bench.