Tag Archive for: Miami Heat

The Key to Miami’s Offense: Giving Bam Adebayo “The Room to Just Go”

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Kyle Lowry being inserted into Miami’s updated offensive scheme elevates them immensely. The growth of Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson improves things greatly. Jimmy Butler’s continued downhill effectiveness will alter them in a positive direction.

But nothing changes things more than a full aggression commitment from Bam Adebayo when the ball is in his hands.

Following the Miami Heat’s media day on Monday morning, plenty of story-lines are flying, beginning with Adebayo’s comment stating “I want to be a shooter.”

The part that stuck out when this was said was his sense of urgency on the subject. It was the first thing brought up when addressing the things he worked on most, and he said it with supreme confidence. And well, that’s how he will need to let that ball fly as a shooter: with confidence.

Another interesting comment from Adebayo was when he mentioned “not getting bored” by scoring in the same way every time. As most players want when trying to progress their offensive game, Adebayo wants diversity in his role.

Last season, the void of a true initiator left him in an odd spot. Constantly finding himself stationed at the elbow, before passing out, squaring up for the jumper, or exploding to the rim.

Anybody would be bored with that layout, which is why we’re going to see a much freer Bam Adebayo this season. Potential three-point attempts, spread out mid-range game, and much more.

All that stuff is great to hear before the season starts, but the most interesting comment regarding Adebayo came from Jimmy Butler during his initial presser.

When asked about the things Kyle Lowry unlocks on this team, Butler said it “gives Bam the room to just go, and be who you are, and not worry about too much else.”

That right there is the key. As I’ve said many times before, Adebayo will receive plenty of Lowry enhancements through the lob pass, easy buckets on the dive following a blitz, etc. But that pure takeover mentality is what knocks this team up to the next tier.

“Just go” should be on the wall walking out of the Miami Heat’s locker room. Victor Oladipo may be a wild card, young progressions may do wonders, but Bam Adebayo being Bam Adebayo is the true X-factor.

How can this be done exactly?

Well, adding around 15 pounds heading into the season screams extra attacking opportunities for him. He has always had the speed to get past opposing 5’s on a face-up, but the ability to take it up strong instead of acrobatic and athletic finishes every time will be huge.

On a team that seems like they’ll live at the free throw line on paper, Adebayo will need to be in that mix as well. That extra muscle up top can really do wonders as a downhill threat, and I think we’ll see that translate immediately.

What is the theme of that topic as well? Just going.

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Adebayo’s off-season mostly consisted of a ton of polishing, but it’s time to understand that it’s okay if that polish is removed in the process. It can always be re-layered.

And that’s why you always hear that connected nickname: “No ceiling.”

 

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Full Miami Heat Media Day Recap

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The Miami Heat kicked off media day early this morning with some familiar faces, while mixing in some unfamiliar faces. Erik Spoelstra, Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler, and Kyle Lowry all discussed this team heading into the season.

Spoelstra was up first, and he gave the injury news up front. He said he doesn’t have a timeline on Victor Oladipo at the moment, adding, “He’s had a tremendous off-season…There’s sunshine ahead.”

I don’t think we’re going to be hearing anything about a specific timeline any time soon, so I wouldn’t get any hopes up for that. But there’s no rush for him this regular season. Just heal, prepare, and repeat.

Now, of course Spo jumped right into the overarching topic of this Heat team: Kyle Lowry. Initially mentions he always think of that half-court heave in game one that sent the game to overtime a few years back.

“He’s a great winner. He knows how to impact winning,” Spo says. “His mind of the game is as high as anybody in this league, and I’m looking forward to learning from him.”

When talking from an X’s and O’s standpoint, which I personally enjoy much more, he touched on something that has been discussed all off-season: “He also has a unique way of playing off the ball.”

That is very much the case, and it’s very much needed on a team with Butler and Adebayo who can truly control a game with the ball in their hands. And speaking of controlling a game with the ball in hand, that’s one of Spo’s favorite tendencies when evaluating Lowry.

“Getting easy baskets and generating a pace where guys will run and know they will get the ball…His pace is one of the things I dreaded most competing against him.”

Spo also touched on the other newcomers, in PJ Tucker and Markieff Morris, which noted our first culture comment of the day. When talking about Tucker, he said, “The way he competes and puts himself out there just screams Miami Heat culture. He’s fierce, he’s tough, he’s edgy.”

His opinion on Morris, on the other hand, was a lot of looking in the past, as he noted, to his days on the Washington Wizards.

“Versatility, positional size, 4 or 5. I really respect how he has played a lot of different roles in different programs in this league,” Spo adds.

This led to the finishing touches of Spo’s presser, talking about some of those familiar faces. “He has an incredible iron will and a work ethic that will continue to grow his game,” Spo said about Adebayo. “That’s why I’ve called him no ceiling.”

When Tyler Herro’s name was brought up, he mentioned that the most important thing for him was to “handle some adversity, handle when the narrative changes.”

He said that he had a great off-season and it was a springboard from last season. Even adding, “Everything his first year was roses and compliments.”

And well, last season seemed to be quite the opposite from the public. Spo replied that it’s funny since his second year was better statistically, but obviously the narrative shifted.

He ended this topic by saying Herro gained 10+ pounds over that span. “He changed his body.”

When Bam Adebayo began listing the things he worked on in the off-season, there was an interesting starting point. “Obviously shooting,” he said.

He then reiterated that statement down the line: “I wanna be a shooter.” And when asked if he will attempt more than one three a game, he laughed and gave a one word answer.

“Yeah.”

The reason for that being important isn’t because he worked on it for a couple months this off-season. It isn’t because he told the public that he’s willing to work it into his game. But instead, that he said it with confidence.

Since well, if that three-point shot is going to be effective this season, confidence needs to be aligned all the way through.

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He then began to talk about potentially chasing specific accolades like Defensive Player of the Year, which he said, “It’s deeper than accolades. Everybody in this league chases something…I love when people doubt me. I feel like a chip will make a monster.”

(Feel like I’ve heard that same statement from a close teammate of his.)

Anyway, he continued on that notion, “I  don’t think that chip will ever leave. It’s embedded in me.” Adebayo mentioned that he likes to try and find stuff to motivate him daily, even “UD’s rebounding record.”

Finally, it’s important to mention the Lowry addition will be huge for Adebayo’s success. Butler’s continued play-making willingness will drive his game further as well. But nothing seems to be as important as the duo of Adebayo and Duncan Robinson.

When I asked about that expansion, Adebayo replied, “Keep building that connection as a lethal threat. The more our games grow, that’s what makes it more lethal and it’ll make it unstoppable.”

One of my main takeaways from any Heat presser today occurred when Lowry was at the podium. Not his Heat-like demeanor. Not his unselfishness and willingness to make others better. Not even his comments about Butler when he wasn’t in the room.

Instead, it was the back and forth joking manner between Lowry and Butler in the middle of the presser, as if they’ve been teammates for 10 years. Some stuff just exceeds the X’s and O’s, and that’s exactly what this duo will do.

Between self promoting his brand while Lowry is talking or Lowry laughing at Butler’s braids, it just works.

My second big takeaway from today was something Butler said when talking about Lowry’s impact. “He takes a lot of pressure off myself, off Bam…He gives Bam the room to just go, and be who you are, and not worry about too much else.”

That last part matters. A lot.

Adebayo may not have a ceiling, but the peak he reaches will be how far this team goes. “Just going” will be huge for him this upcoming season.

My final overarching takeaway is about something that wasn’t said. Actually wasn’t said at all.

In a 30-40 minute Erik Spoelstra presser, Butler’s name didn’t come up. Neither by question or throughout an answer of this team, essentially the team’s best player wasn’t brought up.

That’s rare, but that just says a lot about this team. Does the public take Butler for granted? Is there so much consistency from him that there’s nothing new to know?

In these environments, his personality is the shining light, while his game is somewhere in the background awaiting opening night on October 21st against the Milwaukee Bucks. And that’s a scary thing.

 

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14 in 1 Heat Roster Review: Which Attribute is Most Important for Each Player?

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The Miami Heat begin training camp in 5 days, play their first preseason game against the Hawks in 11 days, and start the regular season in less than 30 days.

Clearly, we’re approaching the beginning of yet another season, and for the Heat specifically, it should be quite interesting. New faces throughout the roster, new schemes for Coach Erik Spoelstra, and a new mentality after finally going through a true off-season in what feels like a decade.

I’ve gone through the ways players will be used and the evolving skill-sets heading into the season, but now it’s time to evaluate the most important attribute for each guy on the roster. In many of these cases, it’s not going to be the obvious answer since we know what they bring on a nightly basis, but more importantly, the underrated element.

So, let’s hop right into the most essential part of each player’s skill-set…

Jimmy Butler:

Off Ball Comfort

Kyle Lowry being added to this team changes things for the entire squad in a positive manner, and I think it may change things for Jimmy Butler the most.

Defensively, Butler will be in a better position than ever before. Added point of attack defense means that Butler won’t be in the action as frequently, leaving him as the weak-side lurker which is by far his biggest strength in my opinion.

Play-makers added to the starting lineup mean he can take a slight step-back, while overall rim pressure means he finally has his second attacker on the roster. But with Lowry and Butler sharing all of these strengths, it means that Butler won’t have the ball in his hands as much as he once was forced to.

That’s obviously a positive thing, but that means the most important part of Butler’s game will be his immediate production in an off-ball role. It’s not usually the easiest transition for player’s without a consistent three ball, but Butler is pretty much an exception.

Playing off the ball means that he will play off the catch for easy explosions to the rim. And while his weak-side defense is elite, he may end up being a weak-side killer on the offensive end as well. He’s very good at reading rotations to feed the weak-side, and now he will be the one reacting to them.

He’s going to have the ball in his hands a ton which will lead to a ton of good possessions, but the key for him will be his effectiveness when he isn’t on the ball in the Lowry minutes. He’s a master adjuster, which means he should fit in early on. And if that happens, wins will closely follow in the regular season.

Bam Adebayo:

Pure Takeover

Although many of these topics will be under the radar evaluations, others are pretty straight forward.

Bam Adebayo is one of those straight forward sections, due to this one non-physical change in his game making the entire difference. Much like Lowry’s impact for Butler, Adebayo will have things a bit easier. Simple buckets at the rim as a lob threat, less play-making duties, and receiving the ball in his spots in the half-court.

But Lowry isn’t what will maximize Adebayo’s skill.

If that’s going to make yet another leap this season, it’s going to because he chose to turn to pure takeover a bit more. He’s clearly an unselfish player which means he won’t usually turn into that completely, but he must sprinkle it in for the team to win games.

It doesn’t matter if it’s zero hesitance in the mid-range shot, unfazed by contact on the attack, or an unexpected development like a corner three or post-move, trusting his own skill-set enough to think about nothing other than scoring on certain possessions is the game changer.

There’s no doubt in my mind that’s the most important thing for Adebayo, and I believe we see it by mid-season at the latest once the newcomers are totally adjusted.

Kyle Lowry:

Availability

When Lowry is healthy and on the floor on any given night, we know what he’s going to bring. We’ve touched on it unconsciously since the move was made. From plugging in defensively to true point guard mechanics to scoring versatility, he has it all.

But there’s nothing more important than him just being on the floor.

Regular season availability hopefully won’t be in question for the 35 year old, but it’s an inevitable topic. Over the last few seasons, there have been some issues with that, and it feels like that may occur again to a certain degree.

For one, part of me thinks seeing him in a position to sit out games late in the season is a good thing, since that would mean the team is sitting nicely in the East and Lowry can be as fresh as possible by playoff time.

But on the other side of things, if the season was a bit uneven for Miami, you don’t want him burning out by the post-season. Will Miami’s depth be good enough to preserve Lowry? Will they need a late-season push from the stars?

Those are questions that I can’t answer right now, but something I can answer is that early season production will be crucial. This team does not want to be playing catch up again this season, especially with the way this current roster is constructed.

If Lowry is available this season, and the games he ends up sitting out is more of a Heat observation, then this team and Lowry will be in great shape.

Duncan Robinson:

Stepping Back to Stepping In

Duncan Robinson’s most important attribute is an interesting discussion. Of course everything revolves around that three-point shot of his, but at this stage, that’s pretty much a given by many. Now it’s more about the expansion from his toe being right behind the arc.

That expansion started last season by going in a different direction. Literally.

He began his offensive sets and simple spot-ups a few feet behind the three point line, right in between the half-court line and left/right wing. With the way he was being treated by defenses on a nightly basis, he was forced to flow away from that line as much as possible.

After pretty much mastering his craft when stepping a few feet back, the current focus is stepping a few feet in.

As I said before this past season, which was a bit unrealistic considering the off-season they got, a pump-fake one dribble pull-up changes the game for Robinson. For one, his pump-fake alone is deadly enough when defenders see him flowing into shooting motion, but he was missing that combo following the bite.

If he finds a way to get to a mid-range pull-up consistently and knock it down, it makes him so much tougher to guard. Not to make any unnecessary comparisons, but just ask players who’ve guarded Klay Thompson once he made that step inside the arc.

PJ Tucker:

Oh, Did Someone Say Corner Threes?

When anybody thinks of the offensive role of PJ Tucker, they immediately shift to the corner three. And well, that one shot may make the difference for this Heat offense to move up to that next tier.

I don’t know if this will be the most important thing for Tucker, but it will be the most essential for the team.

With many of the base offensive sets I expect Miami to run this season with the addition of Lowry, it may ride on the pull the team’s corner spacers have on a defense. A popping Robinson and a rolling Adebayo is a duel threat already, but if you can eliminate full weak-side commitment from that corner shooter, then you’ve essentially won.

If Tucker can take advantage of that open corner three this season, things change dramatically.

Tyler Herro:

Scoring, Scoring, and More Scoring 

Much like the Adebayo topic, certain player’s most important attribute is the most obvious one.

As many have illustrated this off-season, the role for Herro this season is one that he can thrive in. It’s simplified, it’s fitting, and well, it’s a scoring one.

He’s going to have the ball in his hands a ton to create offense and get a bunch of shots up, but a lot of that will come down to the overarching creation that he gets. And it seems like that’s been a major focus this off-season in his behind the scenes training for the season.

Off-ball impact will be huge for him as well, since one of the only parts of his game that saw a decrease last season was catch and shoot threes. If that can be revived to rookie year levels, he will be in good shape.

Scoring, scoring, and more scoring. He’s going to be asked to be the bucket getter off the bench, or better yet, a closing bucket getter once again. And there’s nothing more important for his game this season than taking the reigns of that role from the jump.

Dewayne Dedmon:

Clean Up-Crew

This Heat team will be looking a lot different in the front-court this season. Tucker entering as a primary 4, Markieff Morris being picked up, and Omer Yurtseven being added as a youthful project. Things won’t be familiar in that department early in the season.

But two guys this team will trust down low are Adebayo and Dewayne Dedmon.

Dedmon showed last season that he’s a trustable piece to be utilized in different spots. He’s extremely efficient, doesn’t need to be a spot-light on the offensive end, and shows plenty of things that the Heat organization and coaching staff loves.

Much like Lowry, I do believe that availability will be very important for him after being super fresh for this past playoff series after only playing 16 regular season games.  I don’t expect him to play close to 82, which is where the Yurtseven opportunity arises.

Aside from that, going back to the front-court additions, Dedmon is one of the only rotational pieces other than Adebayo who can be a true rebounding threat. They added size but didn’t add length, which felt like a case where Erik Spoelstra and Pat Riley met in the middle.

Clean-up crew Dedmon will be important for this team, especially being a bench piece. The reason for that is due to predominant bench lineups being about getting shots up: aka Herro, Max Strus, etc. If he can continue to show consistency as an inside threat throughout the regular season, it’ll make the non-Adebayo minutes much easier.

Max Strus:

Balancing Robinson Insertion and Personal Strengths

Max Strus is one of those intriguing story-lines heading into the season. He has slowly bumped up the rotation line in a similar way we’ve seen Robinson, Kendrick Nunn, and others do so.

There are a few things that we still need to evaluate from him, starting with consistency of offensive play at this level. We’ve seen him in solid spot minutes last season and Summer League domination, but consistent rotational minutes are always a bit different.

But in terms of his most important attribute personally, I think it’s about the role given to him. What I mean by that is he might have to do a bit of balancing to begin the season between: filling into Robinson movement sets and just being himself.

As much as he gets the Robinson comparison, he’s not Duncan Robinson. They don’t have the same body structure, they don’t have the same defensive capabilities, and they don’t have the same offensive control.

But yes, they can both shoot.

Will Strus thrive as a guy who never puts the ball on the floor, or will we see that’s how he creates his space with aggressive downhill attacking? It’s an interesting discussion, which is why his early season choices could dictate his play-style for the year.

Markieff Morris:

Efficiency

No surprise here, it all comes down to efficiency for the recently acquired Markieff Morris. With the Lakers this past season, he shot 31% from three through 61 regular season games.

Although the record shows that he’s more efficient as a starter, I would expect him to be in that bench role with developing offensive weapons like Tyler Herro. And in a lot of ways, those are the type of players who can probably benefit him most.

Combining players who dominate the ball with a spot-up guy who is unselfish and willing to locate himself in different places definitely isn’t a bad recipe. With Dedmon’s interior location, that outside shot will be even more crucial for Morris.

Like I noted with Tucker, the corner three is the game changer for this team, but I don’t believe that’s where we see Morris most. He’s a guy that thrived in Horns’ sets because he can pop out to the top of the key with more things at his disposal.

As a play-maker, he always looked best with over the top passes from that spot of the floor, meaning I think we see that translate over this season as well. If he can knock down that shot consistently, the usage of him on this team shifts completely.

Victor Oladipo:

Health

Victor Oladipo is the true definition of an NBA wild card. The projection of him slotting next to all of the team’s primary defenders or lining up next to Herro as a shot creator is clearly something to be happy about from Miami’s perspective.

But as much as that stuff holds high importance, none of it matters if he doesn’t get back out there on the floor at a decent percentage. Nothing matters more than the health of Victor Oladipo, which is why I don’t expect them rushing him back this season even if he pushes it.

The true value of this pick-up is having him as a late-season addition who can be used in a playoff series without a ton of prior film to evaluate from this season. Hence, the phrase wild card coming into play.

If this team ends up showing flashes early in the season before Oladipo returns, that’s when they’ll know they have a shot at something. A slow start may lead to a heavy reliance on Oladipo coming back at a high level, and that’s far from ideal.

Just have him work himself in with a minor workload next to Herro in the back-up back-court, and see where you can go from there.

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Gabe Vincent:

Playing Off the Catch

Gabe Vincent’s name seems to be getting talked about less and less as the season approaches, which may lead to him ending up as another surprise

Erik Spoelstra showed a great amount of trust in him last season, even placing him in a role he wasn’t very familiar with. He was essentially asked to run offense and trigger certain sets, while being a point of attack anchor in the 2-2-1 press Miami relied on.

And well, that wasn’t really Vincent’s role in the past. The shooting struggles may have came due to the comfort levels differing. In the past, he was a guy who played off the ball as a spot-up threat from deep, but too much on his plate at the point guard position could have clouded things.

In his predicted minutes early on, I think we see more of him playing off the catch with the ball in Herro or Lowry’s hands. Allow him to play his own game then make an evaluation from there. He’s made huge steps in his game in every major area, except for that shooting stroke that we once saw.

If he can maximize that this season, this team will be in better shape than originally expected before Oladipo returns.

Omer Yurtseven:

Playing Time

Omer Yurtseven, also known as the Summer League fan favorite, really made a name for himself this off-season. A lengthy build with enough versatility to shoot it from deep, play in the post, and protect the rim.

At this point in his young career, there isn’t a specific part of his game that will be more important than others, but the primary component will be playing time.

As I’ve said in the past, he’s going to get minutes this season. Guys like Dedmon don’t seem to be playing 82, while other front-court members are older in age, meaning he will be slotted in at some point in the season.

That’s when he can showcase his full game off at this level. Before working things down to a specific focus in his game, the initial game observation has to come, and I believe it’ll come sooner than some may think.

KZ Okpala:

Behind the Scenes Focus

The current focus of KZ Okpala’s skill-set won’t be coming in NBA minutes. The true time to maximize his offensive skills in question is still going to be behind the scenes.

It’s very clear that spot-up three should be the thing he’s harping on right now. After seeing his willingness to attack, there just isn’t enough touch around the rim and perimeter combos to get downhill to obtain that ability consistently.

The three ball hasn’t been showcased yet either, but that at least has some potential to be useful in the near future. Like I’ve said before, aiming for a 3 & D role is all he needs right now. He has the defensive part, but a decent corner three is what can potentially get him some minutes down the line.

Until then, it’s more about focusing on attributes outside of NBA games.

Udonis Haslem:

Increasing Minutes?

And finally, the guy who has basically been a part of the Miami Heat since I was born: Udonis Haslem.

Discussing the skill-set of Haslem hasn’t seemed necessary up to this point since that’s never what he’s used for. It’s more about off-court leadership or on-court three minute stints before being ejected.

But could this be the year he actually receives more minutes?

Some have argued that he can clearly still play with that sweet baseline jumper and rebounding toughness, but I feel it’ll be harder this year than ever. The reason for that is if there was a season for him to see an increase in minutes, it was last season.

An uneven Covid season without any front-court depth is pretty much the combo that should translate to that. This roster, on the other hand, is filled with front-court depth who are looking for a long-term chance to prove themselves.

But well, you never really know what will happen in this league, especially with the Miami Heat.

We may not know the on-court situation with Udonis Haslem, but we definitely know the off-court situation. He will have his teammates prepared every single night to embody their new team theme.

Why is that? Well, the theme of this team is basically Udonis Haslem.

 

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Tyler Herro’s Third Season: Simply, a Flashback

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When discussing young players evolving and taking on a new role to thrive in, there’s always one major thing people like to hear heading into that: a comparison.

Not as much “how will he be utilized,” but instead “who will he be utilized like?”

And in terms of Tyler Herro, I think my answer may be a bit different from the rest. Heading into his third season as the true bucket getter off the bench, player comps are flying. Most of them are linked to recent sixth man of the year winners such as Jordan Clarkson and others, but there’s one guy Herro will be playing exactly like.

Tyler Herro. Just a few years back.

Let’s take it all the way back to high school. Even though he was playing “point guard” at times during that stage, it wasn’t truly as a pure passer. By point guard, I mean he crossed the half-court line with the ball in his hands, and a lot of the time, that was a signal for a mixture of moves before putting the ball in the basket.

There were constant descriptions and adjectives floating around his game at the time, and that continues to the present day. Words like confidence (or drip), always come up when discussing Herro, and that’s due to his play-style being a bit different.

But the word that many may be overlooking is freedom. He had that at the high school level when he knew night in and night out that he had the complete green light, and that’s exactly what Erik Spoelstra will be giving him this season.

Coach Spo has been 100% confident in Herro since day one which goes a long way. In his rookie season, playing closing minutes on a nightly basis, before transitioning that same comfort in him during the bubble run. (Which by the way, Herro put together his 37 point playoff display exactly one year from the day.)

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There was never a doubt this team trusted him in any scenario, but the freedom element must now kick in, and the roster construction proves they’re doing just that. They went from a team with total offensive firepower and defensive holes to quite the opposite. And the offensive questions will be pointing right at Herro to take control of this season.

Speaking of that green light that seems to be on the way, here’s the percentages of Herro in his highest FGA of the season: 46%, 38%, 55%, 60%, 47%, 71%.

Up to this point, giving him scoring freedom has always translated really well. And if the efficiency stuff carries over, they’ve got exactly what they’ve been looking for.

Who do I see him playing like this season?

Well, a senior year Tyler Herro essentially. Crossing that half-court line with the ball in his hands and one thought on his mind: putting the ball in the basket. Ever since his rookie season, he’s been one step ahead. Expectations were so high because he set the bar high early on.

But after continually being a few years ahead, it’s time to revert back in the slightest fashion to maximize his talent. We’ve talked endlessly about the ways Miami will use him heading into the year, but the overarching topic is how he elects to approach the role given to him.

From constant on-ball reps in high school to straight spot-up reps in college, it’s time for Herro to connect the dots on his early years. And the common denominator among these different basketball levels is clearly the freedom he played with.

That returns this season.

 

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Miami’s Team Theme May Be Toughness, but Something Else Seems Superior

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Since we’re 13 days away from the Heat’s preseason opener against the Atlanta Hawks, it leads to many of us looking at stuff through a microscope. But when picturing Kyle Lowry’s impact in a Heat uniform specifically, I think we have to take a step back to the initial observation.

He brings so much to the table as a player that we may be overlooking an obvious element.

Yes, a primary addition is plugging the point of attack issues. Yes, they get an extra play-maker to run offense. Yes, Lowry is a guy who can get to the basket and put pressure on the rim alone.

But what about the biggest thing that translates to pacing and game control? Free throw line antics.

That has always been one of the first things that comes to mind when hearing the name Lowry or facing him whenever you watch your team play. He knows how to manipulate the whistle out on the perimeter, and well, does that sound a bit familiar?

Jimmy Butler is pretty similar in that sense, since he’s known for controlling tempo and utilizing a loud yell whenever he gets around the rim to create contact. While Lowry does it mostly on the perimeter as a ball-handler, Butler does it as a finisher, which may be the most important combo on this team.

Bam Adebayo has actually grown a lot by getting to the free throw line as well, which is important with his current skill-set. Guys like Butler have been pushing him to do it more, since he’s faster, more athletic, and more skilled than most of the bigs he faces one-on-one.

And the quote I bring up a lot from when I asked Butler about Adebayo’s aggressiveness and ability to get to the free throw line, he said, “He’s damn near unguardable whenever he’s playing like that.”

If confidence in his downhill ability grows, as well as his frequency in downhill attempts, the charity stripe may end up being an even bigger theme than the toughness of this group.

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A common topic in the NBA from year to year is the transition from regular season play-style to playoff play-style. Fast paced teams may not get as many transition buckets as they once did, since the game slows down and half-court creativity becomes much more important.

Well, that’s where the free throw line stuff becomes a staple for this Heat team. Not to kill their bodies through the first 82 to get a call, but when things begin to slow down, they have something to rely on if shots aren’t falling in their natural flow.

Looking back at the post-season in the bubble, Butler, Adebayo, and Lowry all cracked the top 20 for free throw attempts per game.

To dive even deeper, Butler, Victor Oladipo, Lowry, and Adebayo were all included in the top 12 of free throw attempts in the fourth quarter. When things got tight down the stretch, they found ways to put points on the board.

Now all four of those guys are a part of the 2021-2022 Miami Heat squad. You may look at this team on paper and say they are very strong defensively, but will those guys put enough points on the board?

I would say definitely in a normal setting, but even more so when things grow uncomfortable. This team is built for the post-season, but it just comes down to reaching a decent seed to actually make something of it.

 

Everything Tradeshows is a one-stop-shop for trade show exhibit rentals and custom exhibit display purchase solutions to companies of all sizes.

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Answering Heat Questions: Break-Out Players, Depth, Team Tempo, and More

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We are slowly approaching the beginning of the 2021-2022 NBA season, and it should be an interesting one for the Miami Heat. New faces, new skill-sets, but the same goal.

In exactly one week, the Heat will be kicking off media day, and in exactly two weeks, the Heat will play the Atlanta Hawks in their first preseason game.

So, as we grow closer and closer to that initial tip-off, I have another edition of answering your guys questions. Roster worries, wild predictions, or pure excitement. Let’s hop right into some of the current focuses surrounding this team…

On a Heat team full of veteran players who have plenty of experience in this league, break-out players won’t be flying out of nowhere. But I do think one guy can end up surprising a lot of people.

Max Strus.

He came as a surprise to many down the stretch of last season, and he’s not done yet. He just came off an incredible Summer League run, where the coaching staff continued to test him to see what he was capable of. They treated him like “the guy,” and he was just that.

Now, heading into a new season, he has a defined role off the bench. And although that bench unit may not be filled with big name guys, he’s somebody that can make a huge impact and really “break-out.”

Although he was used on the ball a lot in Las Vegas, he’s going to be simplified offensively back into a spot-up role. Duncan Robinson exiting the floor while Strus is standing at the scorers table with his warm-ups on the floor beside him will be quite a formula.

To answer your second question, I don’t feel like my take on Miami’s seeding is very bold. This is a squad built for the post-season, but in the mean time, they must get to a decent seed if they want to truly show out on that stage.

With that said, I feel the 3 seed is a reasonable spot. That basically means you have a path to win the first round as the favored team, face a Milwaukee Bucks type 2 seed in an anticipated rematch, before arriving in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Brooklyn Nets.

Of course it’s way too early to be predicting that, but the goal will be to get in that 3 range. And I believe it’s possible if the expected leaps occur across the roster.

In a lot of ways over the past two seasons, the zone defense was a ” multiple weak defenders are on the floor” wrinkle.

On this new roster, there won’t be a ton of those stretches. Two reasons that it was so effective in the post-season during the bubble run was 1) it surprised teams on a game to game basis and 2) it was mixed in and wasn’t being harped on.

This past season, the 2-3 zone wasn’t just a wrinkle, it became a staple of their defensive scheme. Now that things have changed this season, I believe we see it less through the first 82. But not totally thrown away.

It could be something that is utilized in the Duncan Robinson-Tyler Herro minutes. Both of them got comfortable in that zone since they can rely on positional defending instead of isolation defending. And that’s a perfect recipe for the two of them.

For the second question, I absolutely believe we see a major increase in both pace and fast-break opportunities.

All defensive teams should be highly effective in getting transition buckets, but even when Miami cracked that top 10 in defense last season, fast-break points never rose with it. But well, that team wasn’t as close to being as good on that end of the floor as the new squad, and secondly, that team didn’t have Kyle Lowry.

No matter the age linked to his basketball reference profile, Lowry loves to get out and run in the open floor. He’s known for catching defenses lacking not only off of misses, but also sprinting down the floor off an inbound.

Bam Adebayo is an exceptional transition weapon, but it needs to be seen more. Retreating the ball back out to set up offense time and time again just won’t cut it, especially next to Lowry. We’re going to see a hint of rim running Adebayo back in those scenarios, and that’s exactly what both him and this Heat team need.

The depth of this Heat team is the one thing that seems to be getting harped on throughout the off-season, but it pretty much rides on an inconclusive factor.

Victor Oladipo, as I’ve said throughout the off-season, is the biggest wild card on this Heat team, and possibly one of the biggest across the league. If he can come back at a decent percentage, there won’t be any worries about the bench unit on this team.

But let’s approach this topic as if Oladipo isn’t back, which he won’t be for a portion of the season.

Let me start by saying there won’t be many bench “lineups” this season. We saw it a ton last season because it’s hard to keep one of Jimmy Butler and Adebayo on the floor at all times throughout a regular season. Adding Kyle Lowry to that group makes it a lot easier.

These bench guys may be used a ton, but it’s going to be alongside the top dogs on the team.

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Tyler Herro will be getting a bunch of on-ball reps off the bench, which will be the true deciding factor when discussing the depth of this team. If he performs at the level that many know he’s capable of, then these worries wont even be considered.

As I mentioned earlier, Strus will be put in a perfect situation to succeed and I believe he will. But don’t discredit Gabe Vincent completely. I believe people would be a lot higher on him heading into the year if he played in Vegas, but it was much more important to take care of his body in preparation.

Lastly, the veteran back-up front-court of Markieff Morris and Dewayne Dedmon will be something to keep an eye on. Morris is awaiting an opportunity with a defined role, and I believe this scenario is perfect. No front-court player on this team has his identical skill-set, so it’ll all come down to efficiency for him.

As for Dedmon, we know his efficiency and play-ability in that role, but the one question will be availability. If certain stuff breaks down, Omer Yurtseven will be waiting for his name to be called, but either way, they’re deep at that position.

It’s not about evaluating the bench group as a whole, it’s much more about looking at their roles on this team and how they will blend into specific schemes and lineups. And I can already tell a couple of these guys will slot in perfectly.

The issue with Oladipo starting in that scenario isn’t about a worrisome duo of Robinson and Herro off the bench. The issue is that you’d be replacing the most important part of their offense with that move.

Yes, Robinson may end up averaging the fourth most points among that group this season, but he’s undeniably the most important. If they want to score points, you need the gravity from Robinson to generate rim pressure and the occasional three point bomb.

I also don’t think we should get caught up in “starting lineups” too much. There’s absolutely zero chance Oladipo starts over Robinson at any point this season, but that doesn’t mean Oladipo can’t get more playing time from game to game.

They’re going to be doing a ton of trial and error to find combos that work, but I can comfortably say that Robinson isn’t going to be sitting in a chair when that ball goes up in the air barring he’s healthy.

And I’d bet on there being a clear understanding on Oladipo’s side of things about his role. An ideal bench duo of Dipo/Herro with balancing skill-sets is the formula to competing this season, which relates back to my earlier point about his true wild card status.

If I had to give one predicting element for this team succeeding and one for them tailing off, it definitely requires some thought.

The clear answer for this team potentially not succeeding would be that they added *too* many veterans, and it’s another situation where there’s a revolving door of players. That may be the case with any team, but a constant reliance on inexperienced players may lead to over-playing the main cast, leading to them tailing off late in the season.

If they get the injury bug and end up in a 5-6 seed once again, it’s going to be very tough to see them getting out of that spot.

But on a more positive note, I’d say the most ideal situation for them succeeding is a clear leap from young players. Seeing that development come to fruition from Adebayo, Herro, and Robinson specifically would do wonders.

Adebayo becoming the leader in shot attempts, Herro growing his offensive bag in isolation, and Robinson adding a one-dribble pull-up into a mid-range is my best case scenario.

Of course this is all speculation, but if a couple of those things actually pan out, then this team will be in very good shape this season.

 

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Who Will Close More Games for the Heat this Season: Herro or Robinson?

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Who will close more games for the Heat this season: Tyler Herro or Duncan Robinson?

According to Heat Twitter, it was a 50/50 split.

And well, that’ll most likely be Erik Spoelstra’s way of going about it this season too.

Many people love to harp on starting lineups when talking about rosters heading into a new season, but they’re pretty meaningless in the big picture, especially on a Spoelstra coached Heat team. The primary lineup to hang your hat on is the closing group that Spo will trust down the stretch night in and night out.

Kyle Lowry, Jimmy Butler, and Bam Adebayo are pretty much a given when talking about late-game play, but in my opinion, it feels like PJ Tucker will work himself into that tier pretty quickly. Not that he will be doing as much as Miami’s top 3 guys, but his impact has always been high, and those are usually the guys Coach Spo likes to keep on the floor with the clock ticking down.

So if those 4 defensive dogs are on the floor together, who will that 5th offensive weapon be? Well, like I said before, there’s a good chance it’ll end up like that twitter poll: 50% of the time it’s Herro, 50% of the time it’s Robinson.

When looking at the 4th quarter minutes of Herro and Robinson last season, they are once again neck and neck. Herro played 486 minutes while Robinson played 484 minutes. Some of that may be clouded by the injuries that occurred throughout the year, but the point still stands. It was a toss up in the past and it’ll be a toss up once again.

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There are certain implications that’ll trigger the team looking in one of their directions. It should come down to the thing they’re lacking on a specific night.

If guys like Lowry or Butler are rolling throughout the night, they will probably look to Robinson so they can have that gravitational  pull in their offensive actions, basically using him to get the team’s shot creators easy buckets.

If some of their shot creators are struggling from the field or have a tough match-up overall, I think they will look to Herro. Somebody who can handle the ball and run the actions, instead of just being a decoy in the action.

And when looking at these two scenarios, it still doesn’t feel like one is more likely than the other. Both can be impactful in their own ways, and if they both show major growth to start the season, it isn’t crazy to think they can both be out there.

But for the most part, it’ll be a judgement of the hot hand. Can Robinson find ways to score when defenses lock-in on him down the stretch? Can Herro create enough space in isolation to trust him running certain actions?

Those questions will soon be answered, but the answer to the original question is clear: both options are correct.

And as much as some people may start to equate this scenario to contract size, that isn’t the right way to go about it. Just because a player had a nice pay day, doesn’t mean we have to relate that to staying on the floor at the end of games. They paid him to play a role on the basketball court whenever it’s needed. If that means it’s utilized for the first 36 minutes, so be it.

This Heat team has much more lineup flexibility at the moment, so it’ll be interesting to see how they go about it. And well, that isn’t even considering the possibility of Victor Oladipo returning at a high level. Only five guys can be on the floor to finish a game, and knowing the history of Spoelstra, those five guys won’t usually be the same from night to night.

 

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The Kyle Lowry-Victor Oladipo Dynamic Has Major Potential in Miami

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Exactly 6 months ago from next Saturday, basically every NBA fan was staring at their phone, computer, or TV, waiting for that next Woj bomb to pop up before the trade deadline. For many Miami Heat fans, it wasn’t as much “if” something would happen. It was “which” would happen.

By that I mean the Heat were going to try and grab a highly talented guard who plugged two of their biggest issues at the time: shot creation and point of attack defense. The two options were Victor Oladipo and Kyle Lowry, mostly since both of them were perfect choices to make yet another late season push.

The Heat ended up acquiring Oladipo due to the pricing being much cheaper than if they went all in on Lowry at the time. And well, I’d say that was a pretty great decision.

Fast forward a few months and the Miami Heat have both of those guys on their roster. Of course the Oladipo insertion will have to wait quite a while, but that shouldn’t even be a big area of focus. This team is absolutely and positively built for the post-season. So if they have to hold Dipo out for an extended period to make sure he’s healthy enough for that push, then so be it.

But when discussing these two players, it always feels like they’re evaluated individually when preparing for this upcoming season. Many picture them in a scary defensive lineup along with Jimmy Butler, PJ Tucker, and Bam Adebayo, but it’s not insane to say they can handle their own lineups with Butler and Adebayo each getting a breather.

So, that’s what we’ll be looking into here. What would a Lowry-Oladipo back-court look like this season?

A Flash From the Past

When I initially think of Lowry playing next to a shot creating guard on the offensive end, barring Oladipo comes back with that ability to a certain degree, the Lowry-DeRozan long term combo is what I picture immediately.

In no way, shape, or form am I saying that is what Oladipo will look like next season, but it translates to the way he can be utilized in a Miami Heat offense. And that all starts with the consistent 1-2 punch in specific offensive sets.

Lowry and DeRozan were fantastic at bouncing off each other throughout their tenure, but a lot of their floor time consisted of taking turns in a sense. Lowry flipping the switch into play-making mode or plummeting to the basket in PnR, or DeRozan going to work in the high post for straight bucket getting.

With a healthy Oladipo, it would be interesting to see that “taking turns” mentality with the right guys around them on the floor.

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But when looking at some Oladipo patterns, I don’t see an immediate shot creation impact upon return. Whenever he returns from injury, catch and shoot three point attempts always rise, and I’d expect that to be the case once again. Lowry has always been great at finding shooters on the perimeter with wild kick-outs or no-look swings, and that creativity may be huge for Dipo to get into a rhythm.

In a lot of ways, this will be the starting point when Oladipo makes his awaited return to the basketball court, but seeing his mentality in the past, it never takes long for him to get back into attacking mode. And well, that’s when this back-court dynamic will truly excel.

In a perfect scenario when these two share the floor, Oladipo dominates the ball and Lowry is the off-ball threat. Not to continually compare it to the DeRozan usage, but that’s why the offense was able to run so smoothly.

Looking at the play above, we see them bouncing off one another in the Spain pick and roll. DeRozan attacks, Lowry screens the screener, leading to a pop out for three. If Dipo has 75% of his attacking ability back, these type of actions can work.

Even though he was known for being an athletic player, I don’t think it’s where his offensive success derives from completely. He has great touch, can create space around the rim with his body, and can control the mid-range enough to make it hard on defenders. And none of that stuff is parallel with completely relying on athleticism.

The point is that Lowry off the ball will be huge for this duo. If they can find a rhythm late in the regular season before the playoffs, that elevates this team even more. And when getting to playoff time, there won’t be many instances where Butler and Adebayo are both on the sideline, meaning those two sharing the floor with them just leads to absolute chaos for opposing teams.

Take a look at the play above. I’m sure your first takeaway is: how does this relate to Oladipo when seeing rim rocking lob finishes from DeRozan? The answer to that question is the emphatic slam has nothing to do with why I’m showing this play. It’s really about the pacing and back-door usage in an updated Heat offense.

Even when it seemed Miami had the players built for a transition heavy offense, that never really checked out. If you’re going to be a top defensive team in the league, that should always translate to open floor buckets, and the new acquisitions should finally make that possible.

Many have brought this point up about Lowry’s increased speed and willingness to catch defenses off-guard through fast pace, but I’d say Oladipo is pretty similar in that sense. Before his recent injury, he loved to run the floor and get easy opportunities, even in his small stint with Miami.

So, if they share the floor for an extended period, I’d expect this to come to fruition.

Secondly, there’s a chance Dipo may lack that same explosiveness that he once had. The way to counteract that is using a lot of the things they used in Toronto a few years back.

Let me just say, Lowry is a fantastic passer, but an even better adjective is that he’s a sneaky passer. He’s one of those guys that gives weak-side defenders, or bigs defending PnR, a major headache on a night to night basis. To that point, the utilization of back-cuts and back-door screening should absolutely be a priority.

If they can find ways to bend a defense through anticipation of passes, they’ve already won. This is something I don’t really expect to see a ton of in the regular season, just due to the fact they can spring it on teams in a playoff series if offense becomes stagnant.

This is why Oladipo is a true wild card for this team. Not just due to his overall health, but the boost he can give to this team in every facet. And the reason I’m only focusing on the ways they can run offense is because the defensive stuff is a given.

A Lowry-Dipo defensive back-court is something the Heat have been needing for some time. And well, that’s excluding the team’s top 2 defenders, Adebayo and Butler, which could potentially be a closing four on many nights in the playoffs.

What Can the Heat Run to Maximize this Combo?

Whenever we discuss “maximizing” certain players on the floor offensively, the lineup should always include Duncan Robinson. The driving lanes just expand whenever he’s being used as a screener or sprinting off a screen of his own, which we see in action right here.

Oladipo looks like he’s about to flow into a double drag with Robinson and Adebayo screening, but he inserts the ball into Adebayo. This play transitions into a DHO back to Dipo, while Robinson turns and screens for the player in the weak-side corner.

In this case, that corner player would be Kyle Lowry.

Oladipo ended up getting position for a tough bucket here, but this could usually go in a couple different directions. He could hit Lowry on the loop-around at the top of they key, hit Robinson who is popping out in the corner, or probe through the lane for a reset.

And well, that’ll be the Lowry and Oladipo on-court chain reaction. Using the Erik Spoelstra added layers to create good looks through each other’s biggest offensive skill.

This final offensive action is something I’ve brought up repeatedly, but never in terms of Oladipo.

It’s something Toronto went to a ton when Lowry was on the floor, where he inserts the ball in the high-post/elbow, as he runs off the ball into a pin-down for a wing triple. This is where those Spoelstra “layers” come into play, since Oladipo can bring a specific wrinkle.

I’ve brought up this set since it can be run for Herro to get some good looks with Lowry in the post, but this could probably benefit Dipo even more. Even though this possession flowed into a DHO back to Lowry for a three, I see this going in a different direction.

When this is being run, all eyes are on the off-ball madness, waiting to see if the shooter gets open or the big slips for the cut. The Dipo wrinkle could potentially be a game of one-on-one on the elbow. He’s always been great in space once he gets defenders on their heels, which is exactly where this would go.

Either creating a good look for mid-range or taking a chance on a blow-by with no big in sight. This is why these two can be dynamic on the offensive end with Erik Spoelstra steering the ship.

Whenever I show specific examples, it’s important to note the possibilities are endless with how they will be positioned in a normal game flow, but they will clearly have a strong base to revert back to.

Once upon a time these two players were essentially being compared in Miami to see who could make the bigger impact. And now the comparison is whether this combo will work better with the ball in the hands of Oladipo or in the hands of Lowry.

Things can change quickly in this league, and that’s exactly what happened for the Heat. The regular season may be bright for this squad, but the playoffs are even brighter.

 

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What Part of Jimmy Butler’s Game Will Kyle Lowry Take the Most Pressure Off?

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Kyle Lowry has been a hot topic among Heat conversations this off-season for obvious reasons. He was the first name on the free agency big board, and his all-around game has led to the belief that he will elevate every player on the floor by doing many different things.

The first thing many have looked to is the impact he will have on Bam Adebayo. I have talked about this extensively, just due to the fact it will essentially be the first true point guard he has played with in Miami.

It’ll be a slight flashback for him, taking him back a few years when he was a rim runner following the draft process. But clearly his talent exceeded those expectations. Other than being a lob threat, we will see a ton of Lowry’s off ball spacing making an impact on the hopeful offensive takeover for Adebayo, plus many more beneficial offensive sets.

The point is that always seems to be the starting point.

Next on that list has to be Jimmy Butler, since well, that’s basically what got Lowry to Miami in the first place. The off-court connection of Lowry and Butler seems like it’ll translate well to the on-court duo. But as many things as Lowry will change for Butler, what will he benefit from the most?

A case can be made that it’s that secondary attacker finally lining up next to him. Of course there were capable drivers on the floor with him previously, but none who can put as much pressure on the rim as Butler does, while doing it in isolation possessions instead of constant screen work.

While that may be huge for Butler and company, I don’t see that being the ”number one” element.

Another point that I’ve constantly made is the idea of another play-maker at the top of the roster, releasing the passing pressure that is put on Butler and Adebayo at all times. Both of them will obviously still be play-making a ton on the team next season, but they can do it much more freely instead of the forceful way in the past.

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All of the offensive stuff is great, which I’ve spent a ton of time going over in the off-season, but the number one shift in Butler’s game will occur on the defensive end. And yes, it’s a positive shift.

Why was Trevor Ariza added at the trade deadline last season? Part of it was that they needed a starting four after the Moe Harkless experiment didn’t work out, but the main reason was that they needed some defensive pressure taken off both Adebayo and Butler.

Adebayo constantly found himself in an uneven spot on the perimeter while guards were being taken advantage of on the block. Butler, on the other hand, had too much of a regular season burden guarding the opposing teams’ best guard. That was the Ariza task upon arrival, and he played that role pretty well.

This new Heat roster won’t have many defensive issues, and that’s because Jimmy Butler will be in his comfort zone, and in my opinion, his number one strength on the basketball court: weak-side defending.

Let me just say he will get plenty of on-ball reps against talented wing players like Jayson Tatum, Khris Middleton, etc. But with Lowry guarding each team’s most talented back-court member and Adebayo ready for the switch, there won’t be as many lapses. Lowry’s ability to fight through screens will be on display, and less rotational frenzies will occur.

Butler may have to be less of an offensive decision maker with Lowry on the roster, but now he will have to be more of a defensive decision maker. Choosing when to avoid the corner shooter for lane cut-offs, instinctive doubles at the elbow, or pure off-ball denial to eliminate that weak-side shooter.

That is when Butler is at his best, and that’ll be his role for a majority of the season. Yes, less hard fouls will be taken with Lowry in the offense. Yes, he can play off the catch a bit more with Lowry setting others up. But allowing Butler to slide into weak-side dominance is the true key.

Adebayo will be right up there at the top this season for DPOY once again, but don’t be surprised if Butler’s name is high on that list as well. And it’s all due to that one awaited piece who has the ability to propel others around him in a major way: Kyle Lowry.

 

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Breaking Down the Heat’s Second Two-Way Caleb Martin

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The Miami Heat’s second two-way slot has been a hot topic recently as the off-season continues to wind down, and according to Shams of the Athletic, the Heat are signing Caleb Martin to that spot.

For starters, I wouldn’t say it’s a huge surprise that Miami looked outside of their Summer League bubble, but I will say I wasn’t expecting this name to pop up as an option. When I’ve been addressing this spot, I have been pretty consistent that Miami has a specific player type in mind: a pure scorer.

That is why among the Exhibit 10 contracts given to some on Miami’s Summer League roster, DJ Stewart made the most sense. After adding Marcus Garrett on the first two-way, a bucket getter who can produce right now was going to be the focus.

And well, that description fits Caleb Martin.

Usually when I breakdown the games of certain players that Miami signs, there are a bunch of avenues to navigate through. But with this specific player and spot, the role and play-style is simple.

So, let’s hop right into what this utilization would look like…

An Outside Shooting Role?

As I said before, Caleb Martin is a pure scorer. But more importantly, he’s an experienced scorer. He will be turning 26 years old in exactly two weeks, meaning the full college experience and two years in the league is exactly the type of guy Miami was looking for to use right away.

Now, as we immediately look at his offensive structure, it’s always important to start with outside shooting. There’s something interesting when you look at the clips above.

Do you notice anything weird? Well, I do. It’s a bunch of possessions where he *made* that outside shot.

I wouldn’t say he’s the most efficient outside shooter, after shooting 25% from three this past season, but they really don’t need him to be. In that two-way spot, he will be a spark scorer. A guy they can throw in the mix early in the season before Victor Oladipo returns. The Gabe Vincent role of last season with much more experience under his belt.

Even thought those shooting inconsistencies are clear, he did shoot 54% from three on a similar number of attempts his rookie season. He’s not known for really being a catch and shoot player, but he did shoot 63% on spot-up threes his rookie year on 1.7 attempts.

The point is that it’s in there somewhere. It’s not always about the outside shot, but when discussing a pure scorer, that ability must be in there.

The worst combination with those type of scorers is inconsistencies and turnover problems, but Martin has always been pretty comfortable and confident as a ball controller. You can trust him in certain sets due to his viable passing ability, while mostly he will be outside the action for a potential curl into a drive/pull-up.

And well, that’s what I will dive into next, as the overarching point to his offensive skill.

Isolation, Isolation, and More Isolation

When I’ve brought up the point about Miami adding a scoring wing, I didn’t mean a Max Strus type who can just shoot the ball at a high level. On this team, that spot had to be filled by a guy who can create for himself when the team needs that “spark.”

And after watching Martin quite a bit in college and seeing his usage in Charlotte, I see a ton of potential in his self creation when the team needs it. In the big picture, Martin-Herro minutes might be tough just due to them probably getting in each other’s way at times on the floor, but he can be a Herro filler if injuries were to occur.

As seen in the first two clips above, Martin’s a guy that can come off a screen or curl and get to the basket with ease. He’s a pretty solid finisher when he gets a head of steam. Bouncy, good touch, and isn’t afraid to take it into the defenders chest.

And while the stuff in offensive actions/including a screen may look pretty, the isolation aspect is what makes me comfortable with the acquisition.

Looking at the final two clips above, I see a guy with a decently quick first step and can blow past positive defenders without a screen. Those type of things speak volume.

A corner cross-over, blow-by, bump, and finish over two defenders isn’t something to overlook. His all-around package isn’t incredibly broad by any means, but his scoring package can be used in a variety of ways.

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In many ways, they added the anti-Marcus Garrett. As I’ve stated many times in the past, while Garrett’s offense may be in question, his defensive capabilities are so impressive that he can be used in a multitude of ways. Baseline to baseline pressing, battling through screens with ease, off-ball excellence with doubling.

That’s how I feel about Martin on the offensive end as a two-way. Forget past usage or being cut by the Charlotte Hornets, he has a ton of offensive potential to be used right now when they need him.

As I’ve continued to say: high floor, high floor, high floor. And that’s my final takeaway of Martin’s game. He can do the things that Coach Spoelstra asks of him, and he’s not a long term project. If they need a system player who can put some points on the board in a time of need, he’s their guy.

Obviously we aren’t evaluating all-stars when talking about final two-way spots, but in this case, they got incredible value for what they’re trying to do. Now heading into training camp in two weeks, they can figure out his game at a deeper level for when the time comes for him to enter.

And my guess is that time isn’t very far away.

 

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