Tag Archive for: Miami Heat

KZ Okpala: Understanding His NBA Role

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It has been a rocky start to KZ Okpala’s NBA career. The expectations were high after Miami sent out three second round picks to acquire him in the 2019 NBA draft, and he has yet to have a featured role on this Heat team.

The first road block that came up frequently was the lack of true NBA experience. He was never really given a true chance out there on the floor, but after this past season when opportunities arose, it was obvious that wasn’t the issue.

The next conversation to be had was that the Summer League void really stunted his development. But after seeing him in action for his first Summer League the past few weeks, there are some clear takeaways about his future.

Usually when a player is heading into their third season and playing in Las Vegas, there’s separation between themselves and the next guy. There’s more overall comfort at this stage, an all-around understanding of the game and sets that will be run, and of course, being the first or second option enhances a lot of things.

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The issue was that there was no padding between Okpala and the undrafted guys heading in, and frankly, being the first or second option on Summer League wasn’t really that possible with his unknown offensive game.

But with that said, how can Okpala find his offensive game?

For starters, the reason he gets harped on so often is due to Miami investing so much into a young kid with a proven strength at the NBA level: defensive pressure.

One-on-one basketball on the defensive end is exactly his game. He can press up on the ball from baseline to baseline, fight over screens at a high level, and never allows ball-handlers to create much separation. There’s no doubt in my mind that’s an elite skill for a guy that isn’t getting extended run.

But the issue is that stuff doesn’t matter if Okpala doesn’t know his offensive role. There’s a difference between offensive struggles, and just plainly not fitting on that end of the floor. Okpala has definitely attached to the latter.

He’s obviously not a guy that can really stretch the floor, meaning when he stations himself in the corner, the spacing just absolutely plummets since his guy becomes a freelancing tagger and doubler. The thing he has gone to most as a scorer is attacking the basket, and that just doesn’t seem to be an effective attribute of his in the short-term or long-term.

Okpala doesn’t have great touch around the rim, which means he can high elbow his way to the basket, if the offensive foul isn’t called, and it just puts him in a very awkward position. So, how can this stuff be avoided?

Well, it all comes down to a simple deep ball jumper.

It really isn’t that simple, but that’s the place he will need to trend if he wants to be an effective player in this league. And by the way, this isn’t just because he went 4 of 5 from beyond the arc in his final Summer League game, even though that just proves it’s in there somewhere.

Even if he’s not super comfortable in a spot-up role, that’s where he will most likely be utilized moving forward as he continues to work on his game offensively. A consistent corner three ball shifts the way Miami can use him as a plug and play guy.

If his defender can just stay semi-glued to him when he spaces himself in the corner, combined with some defensive dominance that he always seems to bring on the perimeter, that’s a guy the Heat can use right now.

No dribbles. No attacking. No dribble penetration.

Just play off the catch, fire away when open, and work on the defensive reads a bit more to limit turnovers and predictability. He enjoys cutting through the middle of the floor with the ball in his hands, but the issue is that defenders just front their man on the perimeter.

His eyes tell the whole story when trotting through the lane, since it’s clear he is looking for the kick-out and not thinking about scoring. As we all know, Okpala is a project for Miami, but at least they have an idea what his offensive future can look like.

Catch and shoot. Catch and shoot. Catch and shoot.

Being a 3 and D player is the way for him to truly thrive in this league, and that’s a build the Miami Heat are very familiar with. Simplifying his game will be most important for him at this stage, and well, that’s as simple as it gets from a role perspective.

Okpala has the blueprint, and it’s up to him to gain a role on this team if he really wants it.

 

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Answering Your Questions on the Miami Heat’s New Roster

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There’s plenty to discuss regarding the Miami Heat this off-season, especially since there will be a long period of time with no basketball following Tuesday’s final Summer League game. So, with a bunch of recent player breakdowns and many more on the way, this piece is all about answering your guys’ questions.

The roster looks different, the scheme will look different, which leaves us with quite the debate toward the bottom of the rotation. Anyway, let’s hop right into some of the questions…

If you consider Gabe Vincent a “G-Leaguer,” then possibly. But for the most part, the answer is the latter.

Last season, there really wasn’t a way to utilize facilitators by committee, due to Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo being the only true threats. And even though there was only one major addition in that department, in Kyle Lowry, it’ll make all the difference.

One point that I will continue to hammer home this off-season is that a back-up point guard would be ideal, but it’s not as necessary as it was in past years. There won’t be many moments that Lowry, Butler, and Adebayo are all on the sideline at the same time, which is why the roles will be sustainable barring zero injuries.

Although I don’t see them fluctuating Tyler Herro’s role in that fashion, there will be some minor play-making usage from guys like PJ Tucker and Markieff Morris.

Tucker is the gem that can run some hand-offs for Duncan Robinson, allowing Adebayo to play off the catch. Morris will be used mostly as a screener at the top of the key, where he’s shown to be pretty useful as a passer with skip passes from that area.

The point is that bench play-making shouldn’t be much of a worry in my eyes, due to the roster catering to others stepping up.

 

When discussing the possibility of playing Omer Yurtsveen next to Adebayo in certain lineups, it’s not really about Yurtseven making any type of expansion. His skill-set blends in well with Adebayo’s right now.

The question is more about Yurtseven’s capabilities against the NBA competition at this stage, since he clearly fits the build of the lengthy bigs that can be effective front-court pairings.

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Defensively, we all know what Adebayo can do on the perimeter against smaller guys, but the most important part about playing at the four is that he can be more of a weak-side free-lancer to help out as Yurtseven drops in the action. He’s been highly effective so far as a shot-blocker, which is the one piece Adebayo can use as a defensive combo.

The offensive side of the ball is even simpler. Yurtseven’s role would be simplified to constant screening and popping for his most coveted spot of the floor: above the break threes. That fits with Adebayo’s interior and mid-range play pretty perfectly, and some 4-5 PnR’s would unlock plenty of things for Adebayo’s game.

This of course is best case scenario when talking about the development of Yurtseven, but there’s no doubt that it makes more sense than the development and fit of Precious Achiuwa.

After touching on the combo of Adebayo and Yurtseven in the front-court, I just don’t feel the best possible lineup with those two is very complicated. Throwing out Lowry, Butler, and Robinson is a pretty ideal blend of shooting, dribble penetration, and defense.

I’ve seen many bring up the point about Adebayo thriving next to Meyers Leonard or Kelly Olynyk for long stretches due to having a drop big as his side-kick, but I feel there’s a deeper meaning.

The reason for that high level play according to the numbers wasn’t because of who was next to Bam Adebayo. It was Bam Adebayo.

The only reason those numbers jump out at you is due to it being over a longer period of time. Jae Crowder was acquired at the trade deadline before the league shut down, then went on to make a run to the NBA finals without any true on-court chemistry.

The same goes for Trevor Ariza this year, which even though the playoff outcome was entirely different, it was a short period of time where the plan was basically for Adebayo to just “figure it out.”

It isn’t about the player build next to Adebayo, it’s about longevity and chemistry. And with the PJ Tucker pick-up, there’s a good chance he will finally have a full season with one front-court pairing. That’s the difference maker.

Max Strus’ recent play in Summer League definitely shouldn’t be pushed under the rug. Shooting consistency, on-ball flashes, and strong all-around play. But with that said, I don’t know if I see him getting the “3 and D” label.

Since we’re projecting forward in this scenario, I think there’s more of a chance that he breaks out in different areas offensively than becoming a full out 3 and D player. This isn’t a knock on his defense, since his physicality on that end allows him to be successful in many areas, but it just points to his offensive up-side.

His overall qualities trend toward being a trusted rotation piece over many other guys in the running. Like I said previously, he is consistent, and that is huge when we’re talking about those final rotation spots.

The team knows his primary skill, and he knows that he can do it well on a regular basis. Other guys are still in that middle ground trying to discover their biggest strength while trying to improve their all-around game, so it honestly feels like Strus will come out on top in that grouping.

Gabe Vincent has indeed been in Vegas, but there was a good idea that he wasn’t going to play. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t anything injury related, but it was due to him just coming off an extended stretch of games with Nigeria in the Olympics.

As much as some may think it’s a crucial development period to just get out there and get some reps, I don’t know if I 100% agree when talking about Vincent. Of course we see where Strus’ stock has gone over the last few weeks, but Miami pretty much knows what they have in Vincent already.

KZ Okpala, on the other hand, was in a similar situation as Vincent in the Olympics with Nigeria, but his story is completely different. This time is more important for him than anybody else. There isn’t really a chance that he will be getting any type of run next season as a rotational player, so he had to utilize this time correctly.

Vincent sees a rotation spot standing right in front of him, and it’s totally on him to take full advantage of it. If he shoots the ball at a decent clip, I believe it is his. The Heat trust him in a bunch of different spots, and having a tough defensive guard next to Herro off the bench isn’t the worst thing.

The question becomes: Who takes the offensive initiator role? Herro or Vincent? It’s an interesting conversation to be had, since I believe they will use Herro in different ways next season, but Vincent is much more of an off-ball threat even after playing so much point guard last season.

We will see what happens with that, but ultimately, it’s setting up nicely for Vincent to get a real opportunity.

If this was a question about the two-way contracts, I wouldn’t have to answer because it will most likely be both of them in that spot.

Marcus Garrett has essentially been a two-way lock since his first game, since teams like when they can distinguish a specific skill immediately as a major strength. As I’ve said in the past, I don’t remember many Heat Summer League guys that were this solid defensively this soon.

His biggest strength is fighting over screens both on and off the ball, but his ball-pressure is elite, he can hit passing lanes at a high level, and can really get under the skin of ball-handlers in the half-court. To sum up, he’s a Heat guy.

DeJon Jerreau, on the other hand, is more of an all-around threat. He may not be as good of a defender as Garrett, but he’s not too far behind. Another guy who is a very savvy on-ball defender, and loves to pick the pocket of dribblers as a help defender.

He’s a very good finisher due to his flashy ways, has a fall-away jumper makes it hard for defenders to contest, and he took full control as primary facilitator of this Summer League unit. He can make serious reads in the pick and roll, not only in the action, but watching the weak-side tagger for the easy skip pass.

Jerreau is super skilled, which is why it’s hard to really see them passing up on him with the two-way. As I said before the draft, Miami would be looking for a defensive guard to try and develop. Not only did they find one, but they’ve got two.

 

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How Will Max Strus Be Used for Miami Next Season?

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Over his time in Summer League, Max Strus has been putting on quite a show for the Miami Heat. Knock-down shooting, cold-blooded game winners in sudden death, and respectable leadership.

The best players in this environment can be picked out pretty quickly due to their being a major gap between themselves and the next guy. Surprisingly, Strus has been one of them.

And the more that we are seeing this offensive expansion, the more it shows that Strus can very well have a regular spot in the rotation next year for Miami. With a bench unit consisting of Tyler Herro, Markieff Morris, and Dewayne Dedmon, that ninth man has been quite the topic over the past few weeks, but he may be right in front of their eyes.

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So, instead of continually talking about his overall skill-set, let’s take a dive into the ways he can be utilized on the actual roster next season…

Screen Usage

This is not going to be a Max Strus-Duncan Robinson comparison piece, since frankly that comparison is extremely lazy, but it’s important to bring up in terms of his role. Yes, they can both shoot the ball from beyond the arc, but there aren’t many other parallels about their games.

Robinson being more of a lengthy and skinnier build, while Strus is more of a bigger and stockier build is a perfect starting point. Strus will be a perfect offensive tool for Erik Spoelstra in terms of screening, especially considering his overall physicality on both ends.

Looking at the play above, it’s something we see a lot with Robinson, but that won’t come with such ease for others. Robinson slipping a screen does wonders due to its’ pull on a defense when he sprints to the wing, but Strus will be used in a much different manner.

Early on, defenses weren’t even remotely worried about him popping out as seen in the clip. It allowed him to get into a rhythm of just catching and firing. Will he get that shooting label next to his name pretty quickly? Most definitely, and that is when the true difference can be made about his effectiveness.

Angling screens downhill for Jimmy Butler and Kyle Lowry on the ball will be home-base. Of course he will be in a Robinson-lite role by coming off screens, but it feels like Strus will be in the actions more than he is out of it. Once he gets extended run out there, the plans will change, but it seems like that will be the starting point of using his greatest skill to the offense’s advantage.

Robinson-Strus Trials

Strus entering the game for Robinson next season could be extremely beneficial for the offense, but how could things look with them both on the floor? The small sample size last season says it can look really good.

The reason for that is they can transfer Strus into Robinson’s off-ball navigation role, and totally maximize spacing with Robinson as a screener.

Looking at the clip above, this is the perfect starting point: Strus coming off a double off-ball screen with Robinson setting the initial pick. It loops into a Bam Adebayo dribble hand-off, which ended in Strus knocking down a good look from three. But that’s not even the most important part of the play.

The essential element is when Strus receives the hand-off. The closest defender to the goal is currently at the free throw line, with nobody in sight below the rim. That is what is meant by “maximizing spacing.” It’s why these minutes are so likely, due to Spoelstra’s willingness to become very creative with the combination of weapons and space.

Strus obviously won’t have a major role in the rotation next season, since they will simplify it down on offense as a spot-up shooter to start, but limitations won’t be placed on him. Some minor leaps from Robinson are expected, but Strus may be the key to unlock some of those things.

Many are aware these two can mesh on the offensive end, but the question becomes the defensive stuff that was harped on all of last season. But that should no longer be a worry…

Defensive Survival

For one, this isn’t the same Heat team as last year. They have added two strong wing defenders who can guard multiple positions, a veteran point of attack defender who will plug so many of Miami’s holes, and lost two guards who were known as poor defenders.

Worrying about certain lineups defensively won’t be as common, and it definitely shouldn’t be when discussing Max Strus. He’s definitely not a high level defender, but he’s clearly not a bad one. Even when being thrown into the fire last season, he found a way to survive on that end of the floor.

Strus knows how to use his bulky frame to defend bigger wings in the post, and has a great feel for dropping down off the perimeter for cut-offs in the paint or at the nail. That off-ball defensive role will be his usual placing anyway, when being surrounded by guys like Butler, Adebayo, Lowry, Tucker, and more.

Robinson made some minor improvements on that end last season, and there’s no doubt in my mind there are more to come. Non-defensive lineups won’t be common next season due to the current roster construction, and I’m not even sure I would bat an eye at Robinson-Strus minutes on that end. Around those other guys, there shouldn’t be many issues to make the coaching staff think twice.

Summer League Attacking isn’t Temporary

One of the first surprises from Strus last season with Miami was his ability to put the ball on the floor and get to the rim in a strong fashion. He had a few highlight reel moments, catching a body or two, and we’ve seen even more flashes of that in the Summer League.

But don’t let recency bias distract you from the fact it isn’t just the competition, it’s just the skill-set of Strus.

As I mentioned earlier, spot-up play will be where he finds himself often in the offense, but he’s going to catch people off-guard by using his body to float downhill and get to the rim with ease. He isn’t a flashy or smooth attacker, he’s just a solid attacker. And that is exactly what the Heat will need from him.

Looking at the roster, it seems like Lowry and Butler will have to carry a lot of the load as downhill threats. There are a bunch of different skill-sets on the team, but some guys like Tyler Herro or Strus will need to sprinkle in some effective drives to bend the defense slightly.

Robinson’s next step will most likely be the mid-range, and even though he’s been super efficient around the rim so far, it doesn’t seem like he will be getting down there much. If Strus can just barely improve his handle to be able to work stuff in the interior, it’ll make a lot of this stuff much more flexible.

And knowing Strus’ background of doing whatever the coaching staff tells him, it’s very possible we see that pretty quickly.

Wild Card

And finally, Strus’ wild-card ability. This entire piece has been about where he plugs into the offense next season in certain lineups, but this one attribute shifts the entire conversation completely.

Coming into Summer League, it was obvious he would be getting plenty of on-ball reps, forcing him to shoot off the dribble, create a bit, and facilitate in that leadership role. And he’s done all of that and more.

Not only is he running unexpected pick and rolls, but he’s throwing defenders all over the place to fire away from deep.

Looking at the clips above, this stuff should not be skipped over. The first play is not bad defense whatsoever. He covers him tightly as he mixes in some between the leg dribbles, before leaning right and firing over the top of his contest. Bucket.

Why do I feel like this stuff is sustainable? Well, the thing about this ability is it comes down to the player’s response to certain contests. And if there’s one thing I know about Max Strus after watching him in Summer League, it’s that he isn’t fazed by any shot contest when he’s behind the three-point line.

If this on-ball expansion is made, it makes a bunch of people’s jobs much easier. I wouldn’t expect to see it much, but that being in his bag somewhere can make the difference.

Miami now has the defensive group they always seem to like, but bucket getters are now a necessity. And well, Strus has proved to be quite the bucket getter over his time in Las Vegas.

 

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Tyler Herro: A Similar Role, A Different Game

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Down 2, 12 seconds left. Jimmy Butler pokes the ball free from Joel Embiid’s hands and Tyler Herro grabs it in transition. He retreats back out to the wing as the entire Heat arena takes a lengthy inhale and buries the triple to take the lead.

That’s the moment that really turned some heads regarding Herro as a player his rookie season, but what has changed since then?

Stats? Not really, since the numbers were pretty similar in his sophomore season which may be viewed as a negative thing by many.

Role? Although it did alter quite a bit to begin the season, they immediately put him back into that sixth man role to be a straight bucket getter this season.

The only thing that really changed when talking about Herro this past season was expectations, which is a pretty wild thing. After an incredible bubble run his rookie year, there was a general consensus that another major leap was going to be made in an uneven year, but there was nothing “major” about last season.

Other than three-point percentages going in the opposite direction, everything else increased in the slightest fashion. 13.5 PPG to 15.1 PPG. 2.2 APG to 3.4 APG. 4.1 RPG to 5.0 RPG. 43% field goal percentage to 44% field goal percentage.

Of course the Heat really needed some type of leap if they wanted to get to the next level with the previous roster, but this idea that his numbers decreased this past season is just absolutely incorrect. He just carried over that same regular season play-style, but that doesn’t seem to be the case heading into his third season.

The team improved at the point guard position, adding Kyle Lowry. They improved defensively by adding PJ Tucker, Markieff Morris, and of course, Lowry. They also added a guy from each of the last three Championship teams.

Things are looking slightly different in Miami, and things will look “slightly” different for Herro as well. The role will be a familiar one, but the usage inside that role will be up to him. And he has a chance to really shine with the current roster contruction.

He kind of blended in with the past group, due to him being included in the weakness of the team with defensive capabilities. They’ve filled that hole now, and now they need a guy to put the ball in the basket.

And there’s a couple major areas of the offense to keep an eye on for his downhill expansion….

Off the Catch

This play above is something we’ve seen for quite some time with Herro in Miami. Starting in the corner, flying off a double off-ball screen before catching and exploding. He has good touch once he gets around the rim, so it’s continually been about finding ways to get him down there.

Herro has to basically take some things out of Duncan Robinson’s book with off-ball movement. Obviously not to the magnitude of the way Robinson does it, since he’s one of the best in the league at what he does and it bends the defense greatly, but Herro has to be on the move as much as possible.

Stagnant offense hurts him. Patiently waiting in the corner off the ball or at the top of the key on the ball isn’t ideal for a Miami offense or Herro himself. We’re going to see plenty of those off-ball screens shown above, but there will need to be some added layers if he’s going to push them in the right direction…

Downhill Diversity

Herro’s initial step of offensive diversity is displayed above: the snake dribble. It gets him moving in all kinds of directions, and his awkward looking, but very comfortable, push-shots really gave his skill-set a boost when he was playing with that high-level confidence.

Using the screen on the wing, spinning back the opposite direction after the roll, and rising up in the lane. Pull-up elbow jumpers and open lob passes will always be there, but this stuff is what will keep a defense on its toes. And Herro will need to keep defenders on their toes in this role.

In an ideal situation, isolations could be used more and more with Herro and the bench unit, but I don’t really see that being the case. Dewayne Dedmon’s usual screen and roll, Morris DHO’s at the top of the key, and obviously the Lowry effect will all be factored into the game-plan, which will be a bunch of screening to force miscommunications defensively.

That snake dribble showcased some growth this season, but it feels like that will still be too predictable. But a consistent jumper following fancy footwork in the interior shifts the discussion…

The scouting report on Herro can probably pinpoint where he likes to get on the floor in these type of sets. Rising up with the floater after two dribbles or an immediate pull-up at the elbow. Herro uses neither.

A quick step inside to fake the attack led to a smooth pull-back for the jumper. Now that type of expansion in his game means they will be able to put more on his plate.

Some offensive creativity will be crucial for his game, and this type of stuff was seen down the stretch of the season. There was no major jump in his game on the floor last season or any crazy statistic changes, but there were some minor adjustments that we haven’t seen before.

The third year is always important for players, and it’s when we will get to see a different version of guys like Herro. But even if that other version comes along with some unique things in his bag that was shown above, there’s still one thing that must be revived to make it all come together…

Spotting Up from Deep

The one statistic drop this past season was catch and shoot threes, which was a bit surprising. He went from over 44% on spot-ups to a little over 39% on the same number of attempts. If next season can mirror his rookie year as an outside shooter off the catch, I believe that he can make the necessary step to do his job and more on this Heat team.

While many envision his role on the bench unit to be an on-ball guy with facilitating duties, I believe it’ll be the opposite. Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler, and Kyle Lowry won’t really be on the bench at the same time next season, meaning they can continue to play Herro to his biggest strengths.

Running off screens to attack, mixing it up in the mid-range for easy scoring, and more importantly, efficient shooting on kick-outs from all of Miami’s play-makers.

There’s a formula for him to be successful on this team next season. In some ways, he was just another guy on the team last year heading in, with guys like Goran Dragic, Kendrick Nunn, and others playing similar roles.

Now he has his role on this team again and it’s only his. It’s the same role but a different game. And that different game of his can be the changing factor between Miami winning a playoff series and losing one.

It’s setting up perfectly for him to be effective, and nobody on the team is standing in his way of that very necessary play-style.

 

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

Visit them at EverythingTradeShows or call 954-791-8882

Breaking Down the Miami Heat’s Summer League Stand-Outs

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The Miami Heat continue their undefeated Summer League quest after they took down the Memphis Grizzlies in double overtime, also known as sudden death.

I’ve done plenty of articles on the utilization of guys like Max Strus and Omer Yurtseven, while focusing on the main strengths of their game, but in this piece, I will look through a slightly different lens. Instead of going through the obvious skill-sets, I’d like to highlight what makes these guys so intriguing for the next level.

I have also talked about a bunch of the other guys on the Summer League roster, but only two of them will make it in this category at the moment. Marcus Garrett and DeJon Jerreau may share some qualities, but the biggest comparison of the two is that they’re both in a perfect spot for a two-way contract this upcoming season.

So let’s jump right into some of the sticking points of this game that pushed Miami to 4-0 in Summer League…..

Max Strus:

NBA Rotation Ready

Strus may have been the player of the day from a Heat sense, but he only needs one category and section to put a bow on his all-around play. Yes, pin-down excellence has been a staple and pick and roll reps have been important.

He even responded to my question about those reps with “It’s always great to have other things in your pocket when guys chase you off the line.” And that’s obviously right on the money.

But a key component to all of this is that he’s doing NBA level type things. An off-ball pin-down role may be what he is assigned, but the stuff shown above just isn’t teachable when reaching this point.

The first clip just displays his overall feel and control for the offense, as he initially awaits the screener to come up. After his hard drives in the past, he avoids the screen and acts as if he’s going to bull-doze his way to the rim once again. That part is important, since he isn’t preparing for a pull-up to give the defender any idea. He just reacts.

A quick stop, one dribble, and a bucket to top it all off after he fired away from deep. That stuff is big time. He isn’t just going through the motions, he’s letting everything come to him instinctively.

The second clip above is another play that shouldn’t be overlooked, mostly since that is just Strus. Taking contact as he’s roaming the perimeter with the ball in his hands, he takes a wide step-back to his left with plenty of separation, but he pauses.

He is aware that the defender will fly by him in fast motion, so he ball-fakes, slightly turns, then squares himself up with the basket once again for the triple. One thing this Summer League team is doing to Strus is letting him be Max Strus. The mentality is to just see what he can do in a free setting on the offensive end, and he’s showing much more than originally expected.

That point was shown in this previous game when the game-plan heading into sudden death was to give it to Strus to make a play, as Coach Malik Allen described it. In the third clip above, he notices his defender is slowly back-pedaling, almost daring the hot-hand to shoot a pull-up three.

Dribbles between his legs and pulls it immediately for the win. It’s not just about a 32 point performance that led Miami to a win. It’s the way he is doing it. With maturity, control, assertiveness, and leadership. That’s the way his fellow players and coaches have described it, and it seems to me that he will be a rotation player for Miami next season.

And with these tools, he has a chance to be a highly effective one at that.

Omer Yurtseven:

Winning Plays/Defensive Improvement

I have spent a lot of time dissecting the game of Omer Yurtseven since the beginning of Summer League. We know his strengths are stretching the floor a bit, using his soft touch in the post, and utilizing his length to his advantage.

But it’s time to look into his defense a bit deeper.

After watching him yet again against Memphis, the defensive stuff really stuck out. He’s not going to be very effective in space and there may be some rotational question marks, but there’s no doubt that he can protect the rim.

That is seen in the second clip above, where he doesn’t bite on fakes and just contains until he has to rise up with his long wingspan to swat it away. Those traits don’t always translate to pick and roll coverage, but they surprisingly have.

He played an outstanding game defending the PnR, mostly due to the lack of explosive guards, but it’s still something to keep track of. In the third clip above, he drops all the way down with the guard while the big stations himself at the top of the key, ending in a turnover with Yurtseven’s fingerprints all over the play.

All of these defensive sticking points stood out throughout the entire game, but the final possession of regulation just tied this whole point together: he has an ability to make winning plays.

After dropping down all game long against screens, Yurtseven reacted quickly and took a timely gamble down 2 with 1o seconds left. With the shot clock ticking down, Yurtseven decided to blitz the ball-handler instead of drop down, which led to major disruption and an eventual steal. The play ended in a perfect lob for Yurtseven to tie the game with 5 seconds left.

Now that stuff stands out to a Heat organization. Miami already has their versatile big who can guard the perimeter freely, so it’s nice to see a developmental project who fills the holes of a front-court pairing: floor spacer, rim protector, and tons of potential.

The Move

A lot of NBA players have “a move.” A go-to that they find themselves relying on in certain situations, ideally from the post. It’s the reason a post-up go-to is harped on for Bam Adebayo, since that can elevate the other parts of his game.

But not many players find that “go-to” this soon.

Yurtseven has just that even if he doesn’t realize it, and it highly benefits his biggest offensive strength. If you asked me what has been the most impressive part of his game so far, I would respond his touch on the interior. Floaters, post-hooks, push-shots. They’ve all been super efficient since Summer League started, which is where this move comes into play.

There have been some question marks next to how he would look as an interior force against bigger guys at the next level, so the Xavier Tillman match-up was something to watch. He made him a little uncomfortable early on, but that faded by the second half, after Strus told Yurtseven at halftime: “I need more out of you.”

He got right back down to the box, going into his usual bag of tricks. Usually the post-up flow is to spin off the back-side to maximize spacing and release the shot without it getting blocked. Yurtseven does the opposite.

Looking at the clip above, it almost looks unorthodox the way he turns into his shooting motion, but Yurtseven is right at home. He turns into a face up ball swing to use his right shoulder for an extra bump before getting into his regular looking jumper.

Part of that move is due to a lack of a true left hand to turn into a floater or hook shot, but even if that’s the case, his way of going about it works at this moment. We’ve seen that face-up bump time and time again, and I believe we see it at the next level as well no matter the match-up. If he just constantly plays his offensive game without being rattled, he will be a hard player to stop.

Marcus Garrett:

Interior Grittiness

We all know how great of a defender Marcus Garrett is. Record setting steals to start a game as seen in the last match to outstanding ways of fighting over screens to just all-around ball hounding. But I’m seeing a trend with his way to generate offense.

A lot of guys with that defensive play-style aren’t the most fluid offensive players. He’s a capable passer who can knock down the open triple as he did in this game, but that just won’t ever be his main priority. The thing that will be used primarily is interior grittiness.

Crashing the offensive boards for put-backs, weak-side baseline roaming, wing slashing, and straight up hard drives. As seen in the clips above, using a plethora of pump-fakes or set-up dribbles allows him to cover a lot of ground whenever he seems “stuck” under the rim.

Is that type of offense sustainable at the NBA level? Maybe not, but I have no doubt that Garrett would work in other stuff once given a role. In a 4 game sample size, I have already seen some flashes from the perimeter, so he will definitely be able to figure that stuff out.

But outlining minor strengths on your weaker side of the ball is always crucial in this time period. He probably can’t evolve with an interior put-back play-style only, but that being the headliner can definitely be a good balance act for some of Miami’s shooters moving forward.

We aren’t just talking about a good defender that can be plugged in somewhere. He has a chance to be great on the defensive end with what we’ve seen so far. As I’ve pointed out in the past, he doesn’t have a defensive weakness which isn’t usually seen this soon.

DeJon Jerreau

Functioning Facilitating

A Marcus Garrett-DeJon Jerreau starting back-court was intriguing for many heading into this game with the amount of ball pressure and defense between the two, but that’s not what stood out from this tandem.

They weren’t really clicking early on offensively, since neither of them are particularly great off-ball players, but once the roles were fully understood, it came together.

The main reason it didn’t take long to figure out is due to Jerreau’s natural ability to take control of an offense as a passer with his pacing, skill-set, and all-around confidence. Everybody on the floor was aware that he was going to lead the offense as the point guard.

There’s a reason 3 out of the 4 clips above included Yurtseven getting the bucket following the dish. For one, a 1-5 PnR is the base offense for this unit when they’re on the floor, due to Strus’ off-ball spacing, Garrett’s slashing, and Okpala’s role playing mentality with screening and movement.

The other reason is that combo allows both to use each of their strengths in the same action. Yurtseven can either pop out or roll to the basket per usual, but when Jerreau is the handler, the outcome should always be to roll.

He’s going to pick apart the defensive coverage and feed the ball to Yurtseven somehow, which leads to my favorite part of his game, as pointed out before: interior touch.

Going through some of the plays above, he is never in a rush as a passer, while guys like Garrett usually aren’t really reacting as much as Jerreau does. He’s an outstanding perimeter defender, but there’s no doubt in my mind that facilitating is his best ability by far, following a night with 10 assists.

Finishing Flashiness

This Summer League team has straight defenders. They have straight play-makers. They have straight scorers. But when looking for a player to give that second two-way contract, why shouldn’t it be a guy that can do all three?

I haven’t talked much about his scoring abilities, but there is a ton of upside in that department. He looks comfortable in isolation with the ball on a string, his lean-back jumper will definitely translate well, but most importantly, his finishing has always been incredible.

The second clip above pretty much sums that all up. Some nice cross-overs, leading to the blow-by, before getting up at the height of the rim for the finger roll. As I’ve described in the past, he’s just a very smooth offensive player and there’s still a bunch of growth to be made.

Jerreau has forced some heads to turn in the past two games, and I firmly believe he will be as much of a two-way lock as Garrett if he plays an extended period of time to finish out these games. He may not be as solid in one area as a Garrett type, but he’s just good in multiple parts of the game that make him hard to pass up on.

There’s one thing all four of these guys have in common: I can find a scenario for all of them where they’re getting some minutes at some point next season for the Heat. Whether that’s a good or bad thing is another story, but just that it’s a possibility, not only says a ton about these young players, but also the Heat’s scouting department who continue to find these hidden gems.

 

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Breaking Down the Sets Each Heat Player Benefits in Next to Kyle Lowry

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The Miami Heat have finally added the three-level scorer, point of attack defender, and facilitator that they’ve needed for some time now. Kyle Lowry is undoubtedly a major upgrade at the point guard position from an all-around perspective, and it starts with making guys better on the offensive end.

Yes, the starting point is always Bam Adebayo with this acquisition, but the truth is that every main player for Miami has a chance to really thrive on that end of the floor if they’re put in the correct spots. So, let’s hop right into the sets that they can really benefit with Lowry on the floor, and there’s no better place to start than Miami’s young centerpiece, Adebayo…

Bam Adebayo:

Although many have heard me talk about that coveted pocket pass for some time now, just know that isn’t an overstatement. A guy that can attract a blitz in the pick and roll with a respected jumper above the break, while being capable of passing through tight windows on the roll will do wonders for Adebayo.

No more forcing him to constantly catch in traffic and figure it out. It’s now about getting him in space and letting him go to work.

Let’s go through some of the clips above to get an idea of how this will work exactly. The first play just shows the downhill gravity that Lowry has on the attack, much like Jimmy Butler has displayed over the last two years in Miami.

Just like Aron Baynes does on this play, Adebayo would stop at the free throw line or elbow where he is most comfortable, then expand from there. Once Joel Embiid falls for the fake and gets up in the air, Baynes drifts inside for the easy lay-in.

Maybe a defense wouldn’t give Adebayo as much of a runway, but it’s definitely possible to just allow Lowry and Adebayo to build a PnR connection early on, and utilize each of their biggest strengths to their advantage.

The next two plays above show how Adebayo can receive the ball on the move, especially against drop. Lowry can pick that type of stuff apart, especially when a skilled and athletic player like Adebayo is the quick diver on these possessions. Hitting him early will be important once they get going a bit, since his mid-range jumper dropping to begin the season can really propel his effectiveness.

This is the combo that seems to be getting discussed the most, and there’s a reason. The sets may not look as complicated as others I’ll display next, but that’s the exact point: make it simple for him.

Jimmy Butler:

Of course the constant staple with Lowry and Jimmy Butler is their off-court connection, but is there a chance the chemistry on the floor could be stronger?

It’s definitely a possibility.

To state the obvious, the secondary attacking is a major deal when talking about the way the spacing may look to begin the season. Will there be moments where Butler is stationed on the weak-side corner or dunker-spot? For sure, but the way they can maximize the two together can go in a bunch of different directions.

Something I’ve mentioned many times in the past is that it’s not a coincidence that the Goran Dragic-Butler PnR was one of their most effective sets. Angling Butler to flow into a hard attack or hitting him on the short roll usually leads to good outcomes.

But there’s more layers to be added in Lowry-Butler actions. Looking at the first clip above, using Butler as a DHO guy at times with Lowry can definitely be one way of going about it. It allows Lowry to play to his strengths of shooting off the hand-off while Butler can score and play-make on the reception of the dive.

If there’s one thing we know about Butler, he loves the sprays once he gets under the basket, which isn’t always a good thing. But gathering eyes when he’s down there can lead to plenty of offense on the perimeter and truly maximize that “spacing.”

The second clip is an action that I believe we see a lot more of next season in Miami, especially after Lowry thrived in it with Toronto. It’s also the same set that another Heat player will be utilized in, except in a role reversal, but I’ll touch on that down the line.

Butler would be in the spot Gary Trent is in, grabbing the ball in the high post, which is where he does most of his damage as a play-maker anyway. After Lowry makes the pass, it turns into a pin-down for a wing triple, and this is where those “layers” come into play.

We’re going to see plenty of Lowry in an off-ball role next season, just due to the fact he is so comfortable in that spot. He shot 42% on catch and shoot threes this past season, and there’s a good chance that number could increase in a Heat system.

Although that play may be simple, this could turn into the points I made about Adebayo on the roll. If a blitz occurs after Butler feeds Lowry the ball, it’s Adebayo’s time to take advantage of the 4 on 3 on the back-side.

There’s obviously many more things I can go over in this space, but the consensus is that Lowry and Butler can be used in an endless amount of ways, and in my opinion, the fit should be seamless.

Duncan Robinson:

Part of me doesn’t even want to discuss the fit of Lowry and Duncan Robinson, just because there isn’t anybody in the NBA that wouldn’t fit with Robinson. A player that can fly off screens, shoot the ball from deep like no other, and eliminate defensive free-lancing seems like quite the fit in general.

Lowry is going to make a lot of Heat player’s jobs easier, but I believe Robinson, specifically, will make Lowry’s job much easier. Without going into too much depth in the first clip, the usual feed into a guy coming off an off-ball screen will do wonders for Lowry’s assist numbers.

Having that many options in the offense forces the defense to make constant choices. Miscues occur in those spots all the time, where two guys pop out on the shooter, which is where Lowry excels. Waiting til the defense makes a mistake, then forcing a pass to a rolling Butler down the baseline.

Mixing a player that waits for miscommunications and a player that forces miscommunications is definitely a solid duo.

The second clip above is something that I’ve touched on in the past, but can be used in more ways with these two. Guard screening should be a sticking point next season, either with Robinson or Butler, to hunt mismatches for any of Miami’s main guys.

Slipping these screens at the top of the key, like the play above, is another way to really space out the floor. If Robinson comes up and shifts to the wing, 9 times out of 10 the defender will stay with him. This gives Lowry an opportunity to go one-on-one with zero help, which is an ideal situation for him.

If there’s one person that’s going to have fun scheming up plays for these two, it will be Coach Erik Spoelstra, who can throw out some interesting things in a playoff series with Lowry and Robinson in an empty corner.

Tyler Herro:

And finally, we get to Tyler Herro. The other players discussed will be lined up next to Lowry in the starting lineup, but the same doesn’t go for Herro, and it’s clear they’ll still get plenty of run together.

For one, the Heat currently don’t have a back-up point guard, but the thought process is that it isn’t a necessity because there won’t be many moments that Lowry, Butler, and Adebayo are all on the sideline together.

That basically means we will probably see Butler get pulled a bit earlier, then inserted back in when Lowry exits.

The role of Herro next season is a bit up in the air at the moment, just due to it having a chance to go in so many different directions. Will spot-up numbers rise back up to be used that way? Is there going to be more on-ball reps with an increased handle and extra shot creation?

We will find that out soon enough, but either way they can find a way to balance the back-court of Lowry and Herro. Looking at the clip above, this is where I mostly see him being used next to him, and it relates back to the play about Butler.

It’s the same exact set, except Lowry isn’t the one spotting up, he’s the one creating. Although he’s a point guard, his size allows him to play from the post often, which will 100% be used next season.

Herro would feed the ball into Lowry, act as if he’s going to clear out, then pop out to the wing for a spot-up triple off the pin-down. Even if there is major improvement on the ball, the catch and shoot stuff will be needed to make it all come together. Lowry will be able to get him in his spots, which is why this isn’t just about Miami’s stars.

I’m intrigued on how they’re going to form the offense to begin the season, but there’s no doubt in my mind that we will see this type of stuff. Lowry is a flexible offensive player, which once again, really fits the Erik Spoelstra mold. Just in this piece alone, it’s clear there’s a much longer list of options than previously, just because of one veteran addition to the roster: Kyle Lowry.

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Breaking Down Heat’s Max Strus, Marcus Garrett, and More

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The Miami Heat are now 3-0 to kick off Summer League, and it’s not just a reflection of one single player, but instead the scouting department to continue the theme of “Miami Heat guys.” There’s a specific type that they like, so they went out there and built a team of a bunch of gritty and physical athletes who want a chance at this league.

After Omer Yurtseven and Gabe Vincent didn’t play on Sunday night against the Denver Nuggets, others stepped up and shined. One guy that I’m not going to dive into in this piece but must be touched on now is KZ Okpala, after he got some run for the first time last night.

After watching him play last season and start for Nigeria in the Olympics, there was always one takeaway when I walked away from those games: it’s not offensive struggles, it’s offensive incapability.

We all know he’s a very talented defender, but it has been clear that he just can’t survive on the offensive end without any type of strength or fitting role on that side of the floor. When guys are going into their third year and playing in Summer League, that’s the time to really grow and get comfortable with your skill-set.

Playing against a bunch of undrafted guys who are trying to make it, there should be a gap. But up until this point, there’s been no padding between him and the next guy. The only slimmer of offensive hope has been in the open court at times where he strived in college, but half-court sets have absolutely zero flow.

We will see what happens in these future games, as we evaluate the possible offensive development, but in this piece, we’re going to highlight the young guys that have continued to show bright spots on both sides of the floor. So let’s start it off with the guy that is basically a two-way lock in my opinion…

Marcus Garrett

Defensive Pressure and Wingspan Usage 

When many have been searching for that Heat comparison when discussing Marcus Garrett, I really don’t have one. Plenty of past Summer League projects have been strong defensively, but none have been this absolutely sound this soon. He just doesn’t have a weakness on that end.

How many players have gotten a pick-six less than 10 seconds into a game? I’m honestly not sure of that number, but I do know Garrett is one of them.

Quick swipe with his right before sprinting left to secure the steal and get out in transition. He showcases a good looking euro step as well to finish the possession and converts the layup 11 seconds into the game. Yeah, that is special.

Not only does he have the “anticipation” on that end as Summer League coach Malik Allen describes it, but he has the measurements to go along with it. He’s a 6 foot 5 point guard with a 6 foot 10 wingspan, which makes those on-ball swipes so effective.

Another area that translates to on defense is close-outs, which Garrett has been quite good at in the first three games. Looking at the second clip above, he dips down to cut-off the attacker as it is kicked out to his guy in the corner. The correct read is made and an open triple should be the outcome, right?

Wrong.

Garrett takes a long leap on the close-out and somehow gets the block on the shot attempt. He has the instincts. He has the on-ball speed. He has the length to muck things up on that end. But obviously there is a question mark about his game if he went undrafted, so how has he been on the offensive end?

Perimeter Flashes

Let me start by saying this about Garrett on offense: he doesn’t have to be a great scorer to be a role player in the future, he just has to survive on that end.

That has been the issue over the years with outstanding defenders who struggle offensively, since it feels like they’re being pushed too hard to become that highly valuable 3 and D type player. Of course that is always ideal, but Garrett just has to be a capable offensive player to receive extended minutes.

Yesterday’s game was definitely his best game as a perimeter scorer, going 4 for 6 from the field and 2 for 3 from deep. The first clip above may not seem like a big deal, but it absolutely is. Although it’s just an open corner three with nobody in sight, that shot could make or break his effectiveness in the NBA.

He also had moments that were a bit surprising where he was creating for himself off the dribble and shooting with confidence. In the second clip, he appears that he’s going to drive left hard to the basket, but gives a slight push-off to flow into a step-back mid-range jumper and buries it.

That stuff isn’t just surviving, that is thriving. If some of this offensive stuff continues, we might be looking at something bigger than a two-way contract, but for now, he’s essentially a lock for that spot with the defensive dominance alone.

DeJon Jerreau

Pick Pocketer

DeJon Jerreau, also known as Deeky, got some run for the first time last night after being the Heat’s first undrafted player picked up following the draft. He’s another one of those point guards that carries that defensive minded mentality, but he has a much deeper offensive bag in my opinion.

To start off with the defense, he’s a high level on-ball defender who can effortlessly hit passing lanes and succeed. He’s also very talented at picking his man’s pocket on the perimeter, which led to two fast-break buckets last night when he was on the floor.

In the first clip, the ball-handler pauses in the PnR as if he’s going to control the 2 on 1 without anybody recovering. But if you’ve looked into Deeky’s game on that end, he always recovers. He poked the ball free from behind as they flowed into the open court for an easy dunk.

The second clip is another example of that high level recovery speed, after he was screened hard and basically taken out of the play. He gets into the middle of the floor, forces a turnover, picks it up, and throws it down the floor for an easy score.

The game is too simple for Deeky in this environment. Although I’m going to touch on it next, the one thing that stood out from him is how comfortable he played in his first game in this space.

Play-Making Comfort

Many of the things I talked about in an article about Deeky when he was scooped up was on display yesterday. On a team with a bunch of point guards, I didn’t expect him to take total control of the point guard duties like he did, but he absolutely shined doing it.

There are guys like Dru Smith who play at a good speed on this team. There are also guys like Javonte Smart who are really skilled passers in the half-court. But Deeky is basically a combination of the two as a facilitator.

He has a very advanced way of reading the floor in Miami’s base sets, leading to plays like the one above where the defense is awaiting the over-head pass to the roller, but instead he kicks it out to KZ Okpala to jump the defensive rotation.

Deeky also got to run some pick and pops with Max Strus which led to very good offense, but as seen in the second clip, he twisted his ankle after this solid pass which left him out for the rest of the game. I would like to see more of him in this type of role since it looked so smooth for their offense, and I bet we will as we move forward.

But speaking of his smooth offensive play……..

Smooth Creation and Unique Pull-Ups

The final thing that must be brought up about his offensive game is that there is a certain swagger and smoothness to the way he goes about things on the floor. Nothing ever looks forced, he just gets to his spots and reacts to what is given to him each possession.

Looking at the clip above, this kind of puts it all in perspective. He is very fundamentally sound as a passer and defender, but he’s super loose as a scorer which makes him very interesting.

A very tight handle in isolation leads him right into his pull-up jumper, which essentially can’t be blocked with the way he fades away on those type of shots, even when being defended by 7 foot 2 Bol Bol.

The Heat have something in Deeky, and I can guarantee if he actually plays for an extended period over the next few games, he will be right in the discussion of Marcus Garrett in terms of defensive abilities and two-way contracts.

Max Strus

Mixing it up from Deep

Let’s take a second to look into a guy that is already locked up on the Heat’s roster, and continues to show reasons why he could be a viable option in their rotation next season if no other veterans are added.

The Max Strus comparisons to Duncan Robinson are becoming a bit overstated in my opinion up to this point. Other than coming off of some screens with Miami last season in a similar fashion, they’re honestly not that alike.

For one, Robinson has more of a lengthy and skinny build while Strus is much more stocky. Secondly, they really don’t play the same offensively if they weren’t being given the same game-plan heading into games.

They’ve been allowing Strus to play freely over the last two games, and I believe it could really benefit his game in the long-term. Looking at the first clip above, he’s still getting plenty of looks in a catch and shoot setting, which by the way, it should be mentioned that he is not one bit thrown off by any type of contest.

He isn’t afraid to fire away over the close-out, and that’s a great attribute to have this early. If we’re going to bring up Robinson, that is something that really propelled his shooting in his second year.

But the second clip above is the one that will have the Heat taking an even closer look than they already are. Bringing the ball down the floor, turns left before spinning back right to lose his defender, side-steps on the wing to eliminate a block on the recovery, and knocks it down.

That is a veteran move.

When looking for that guy on the current roster to finish off the nine man rotation next season, there’s no doubt in my mind that will be Strus. He isn’t fazed by pressure, he’s physical enough to survive on both ends, and he is trusted more than any other player on the roster toward the bottom of the depth chart.

PnR Reps and On-Ball Up-Side

What is it that can take Strus to that next offensive level? This stuff shown above.

As I said before, he’s been given the keys to the offense to be the ball-handler in pick and rolls, forcing him to create on the ball and make instinctive reads on the move, which is so great to have him doing.

When I asked Max Strus after yesterday’s game about the importance of these reps, he replied, “It’s always great to have other things in your pocket when guys chase you off the line.” And well, he has shown that he has plenty of things in his pocket.

The second clip above is something that I had no idea that he had in his pocket. Attacking hard right before side-stepping in the mid-range with a hand in his face and knocks it down. That stuff just isn’t normal for a “spot-up guy.” The reason for that is I don’t think that will be his role for long.

And if some expansion in his game is made over the next few months, there will be another discussion to be had about Strus.

RJ Nembhard 

Bucket Getting

RJ Nembhard is a guy that I talked about when the Heat picked him up, but haven’t dove into since the games started after not showing much to begin Summer League. But that changed to kick-off the games in Las Vegas.

One of the reasons that I’ve said DJ Stewart has a major chance to be in contention for a two-way contract is due to his strengths being different from the rest. But he now has some competition on his hands.

Not only can Nembhard absolutely get buckets from all three levels, but he is a solid defender to cap it all off. Looking at his highlights above, he can honestly score from anywhere on the floor, either on the ball pulling up or spotting up off the ball.

When I asked Malik Allen about his opinion on him so far following the game last night, he said, “Since the first day, he’s just been one of those guys, natural leadership and natural voice…It was just the old school…come in and play with a chip on his shoulder.”

After he didn’t play in the previous game, Allen believed that he had something to prove, and he showed that he should be getting talked about more than he already is. Will Miami go with similar players for those two-way contracts in Jerreau and Garret, or could they mix it up with a defensive dog and a skilled scorer?

The latter is definitely a possibility, and it’s time to really keep an eye on the consistency of Nembhard’s game moving forward in Summer League.

 

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Full Breakdown on Markieff Morris’ Fit in Miami’s System

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In a pretty eventful free agency for the Miami Heat, they walked away with some enticing headliners for the 2021-2022 roster. Kyle Lowry is the starting point since it’s been the awaited piece for quite some time now, while reigning champion PJ Tucker was the unexpected addition that has people chirping.

But the guy who is going under the radar a bit with Miami’s latest acquisitions is Markieff Morris. After somewhat of an underwhelming role this past season with the Lakers, it feels like there will be much more of a natural fit on this Heat team, as he clearly fits the theme of the team.

So, let’s hop right into his biggest strengths, and how they will be utilized this upcoming season…

Spotting Up from Deep

The first one to note is absolutely zero surprise. When adding some wing depth to the roster, it was obvious that they must be able to stretch the floor next to Adebayo so he can have room to navigate.

As seen above, Morris has quite the resume in terms of shooting from different spots beyond the arc, since he’s not just a corner spacer like PJ Tucker. He’s pretty versatile when discussing the ways he will be used under Erik Spoelstra, but there’s no doubt it’ll involve plenty of popping out to the perimeter off pick and rolls or hand-offs.

In the last clip above, that’s probably the one thing that sets him apart when looking at his shooting from deep. He will not be shooting off the dribble, but he’s capable of creating that extra dribble of separation to get a good look. That one dribble side-step can go a long way, just ask Jae Crowder in the bubble…..

No matter the other points I’m about to make referring to other ways he can be used, we’re always going to come back to the floor spacing, since that will ultimately be what keeps him on the floor for extended stretches.

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More of an Inside Presence

I basically talked about every possible small ball four the Heat could get heading into free agency, and I felt like there would be a theme in terms of the player they would be looking for.

Yes, everybody can stretch the floor to a certain degree, but staggering usage up a bit with inside capabilities needed to be a sticking point. And well, Tucker and Morris fit that description in their own unique ways.

The clip above showcases the way he would be used in that sense, and it all starts from the beginning of the possession. In today’s game, you just don’t see many wings locating themselves inside the arc for a deep two off the catch, but Morris finds that area comfortable.

He then uses his body to get to the middle of the floor, giving a quick look to the corner to force the help-side to retreat to the three-point line, before knocking down the easy mid-range jumper. With Miami’s past guys at that position, they weren’t truly able to make an impact in the second level of the half-court.

Tucker definitely won’t be taking jumpers in that spot either, but being able to be inserted into the dunker spot for dump-offs and easy layups will be his way to alter spacing. Morris, on the other hand, won’t be asked to be on the ball a ton, but it’s fair to say he can get to his spots on the floor when posting up or attacking.

Utilization as a Roller

When thinking of the base sets he can be used in, many would probably start with being a pick and pop artist. That refers back to the continued usage as a floor spacer, but I think there’s other ways to mix things up with him.

The play above gives you an idea, since his mobility and size seems like the perfect fit for double drag. It’s simple: he rolls to the basket for a 2 on 1 opportunity with LeBron James and it leads to an easy layup. He doesn’t just have to be a popper, but his rolling can really unlock some things.

As I’ve touched on with Tucker, they’re going to have to pass on some of the responsibilities to the newcomers when discussing dribble hand-offs. Of course Adebayo will still get a fair share of them, even though some may not like that, but allowing Tucker and Morris types to run those actions with Adebayo on the weak-side can really give Miami a bunch of offensive options.

That is exactly where his rolling skill-set comes into play, since a Duncan Robinson pocket pass to Morris allows him to get to that mid-range jumper that I discussed previously, or dish it to Adebayo so he can score off the catch which is a major strength.

It’s definitely going to be something we see more of as we move forward, but the only question is if it will be with the starting group or as an effective reserve. In either lineup, that rolling skill can be utilized due to the fact it’s something the Heat kind of miss at this exact moment.

Above the Break Play-Making

You may be wondering why I’m touching on play-making when discussing Markieff Morris, since that has never been a staple of his game, but there’s some upside from one spot on the floor.

Kyle Lowry will definitely be the guy play-making from the top of the key, which Miami hasn’t seen in a very long time, but that’s the spot Morris can be most effective in the offense.

Looking at the clips above, he’s the perfect player to plug into a horns set, since it bends the defense a bit with Lowry dribble penetration, while the kick-out option is there for Morris. It then means he can be the decision maker as he surveys the floor, which led to a corner triple in the first play above.

In the second clip, instead of him being the main part of the action, it’s occurring off the ball while he has to make the pass. Miami will see plenty of these off-ball screens, so it’s good to see him getting plenty of reps in that department in the past. He drops in the over the top pass and it leads to yet another triple.

With Lowry, Jimmy Butler, and Bam Adebayo on the roster, we don’t really think of Morris taking any part in play-making duties, but they should definitely sprinkle it in. Put him in his comfort spots at the top, and let everything else flow from there.

Defensive Versatility

After looking up and down the Miami Heat’s roster on paper, it’s pretty obvious that’s enough offensive talk for one article. This team is going to be in your grill defensively, pressuring heavily on-ball, and swarming on the help-side. A bunch of quick, physical, and gritty defenders must be used in that way, and they undoubtedly will.

Another point I made time and time again heading into free agency was that they needed a guy who could size up defensively instead of size down. Trevor Ariza was the perfect plugging piece, since it fixed some of the point of attack problems, but it just led to more exposure on the block.

The Heat already have their big man that can guard the perimeter, so they need a four who can make up for those switches if they occur. And well, Morris can do just that.

He has guarded plenty of centers over the course of his career, which ties back to the point of Miami adding so much versatility on both sides of the ball. We see some of that perimeter defense in the first clip above, but the second clip is much more important.

Seeing him handle big men like that is the perfect person to place next to Adebayo. Yes, we’re constantly looking for the front-court pairing that pushes him in the right direction offensively, but that’s Lowry’s job now. Morris and Tucker are guys who can allow Adebayo to be more of a freelancer defensively and take a little weight off his shoulders, which is probably even more important.

Once again, these pick-ups feel to be a blend of Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra’s preferences. The small ball fours who Spo likes to play down the stretch of games, but also Riley types who size up and play physical. The theme of this team is clear, and adding a bunch of players who won’t get bullied in any circumstance creates a very interesting dynamic in Miami.

 

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Breaking Down Heat’s Summer League Day 2

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The Miami Heat played their second game of Summer League in Sacramento last night, and some lineups looked a little different. For one, recently signed Max Strus was the headliner for this one, while guys who shined on day 1, like Marcus Garrett, immediately jumped into the starting group.

Omer Yurtseven is another guy that turned heads once again, since it basically appeared he wasn’t on the same level with opposing bigs in this environment. Skill-set, size, and much more seemed to set him apart.

So, let’s jump immediately into the main storylines of this game for Miami, looking into the film of guys who are in reach of a two-way contract on the Heat’s roster…

Max Strus:

Catch and Shoot Dominance 

Although I’ll touch on the emerging parts of Strus’ game next, we must start with the attribute that basically got him on a Heat roster in the first place: the dude can really shoot the ball.

Looking at the offense Miami was running last night, it looked like they were putting him in a lot of positions that they do Duncan Robinson, and this is not to just compare the two shooters for Miami. They’re testing to see how he can run off pin-downs and screens, his mechanics off the hand-off, and his range beyond the arc.

All of that flourished in this game, and more importantly, he looked comfortable in every area. When looking at the clips above, you’ll notice something interesting about his three-point jumper: every shot looks the same. Good shooters have a way to keep the same form, lift, and follow through on every shot, and that has been the case with Strus since joining.

The Heat have shown a real liking to him, due to his overall skill-set and dedicated ways that he goes about his body of work, and it feels like that will grow even more. In the Heat’s current state, it isn’t crazy to say Strus could be on his way to getting some solid bench minutes this season, and it feels like Coach Spo and the team wouldn’t bat an eye at that notion.

On-Ball Reps

The other part of Strus’ game that we haven’t seen much of is his on-ball skills. In Miami last season, he was given a role to just come off of screens or shoot over the top of defenders off the catch, and he has said many times in the past he will do exactly what the team tells him to do.

Much like Miami did with Robinson in Summer League a few years ago, they’re letting Strus roam freely on offense with the ball in his hands, just doing a little bit of trial and error with his offensive attributes.

Last season, we saw moments where he would fly down the lane to go dunk on somebody, but I’ve been curious what he’d look like running half-court sets. And after seeing him run some PnR’s for the first time yesterday, I am pleasantly surprised.

He’s capable of making simple reads in those spots, he can flow downhill to take contact instead of avoid it, and being a deep-ball threat makes him much more effective on the attack in this space. Do I see him being on the ball in a Miami Heat role this upcoming season? Definitely not, but some versatility in his youthful game will be something to monitor.

Omer Yurtseven:

Post-Up Master

Omer Yurtseven had another strong offensive display on Wednesday night, and one part of his game has continued to look like a focal point. Of course he has added length on most of his match-ups, but he has a good eye for noticing the switches and taking advantage of them.

If a switch is forced, he immediately closes out the defender for the entry pass, and goes to work. Drop-steps for dunks, nice-looking post-hooks, or fadeaway jumpers. His bag has been endless so far down there, but mostly due to the fact that his soft touch allows him to be effective in many areas of his game.

To look into the specifics, he has a go-to move that basically gets him into a certain rhythm down there. He uses his initial shoulder bump to back his defender down, before shifting in the other direction for a floater type shot.

By the way, he’s not shifting in the other direction in a turnaround manner. He’s going through that motion on the face-up to really maximize space. There is some curiosity to his game if it will translate to guys his size down there, but the ability that I will dive into next makes me think it definitely will.

Pick and Pop or Pick and Roll?

Once Yurtseven really masters the art of screening, I believe his offensive utilization can go in so many different directions. In these games, he is such a threat when he is in the action, since his length and rolling gravity leads to a clear lob opportunity as seen in the clips above, while popping out to the three-point line is just second nature to him.

He continues to shoot the ball well from deep, which is good to see him comfortably shooting over the top of smaller guys even when a hand is in his face. His high release point means that it’s a very hard shot to alter, while a big man defending it leads to a clear run-way for him to try and go for the drive-by.

When people are thinking into the future with Yurtseven, there’s no doubt that he would be able to play next to Adebayo. He’s not the greatest defender, but his length means that he can accumulate blocks down low while Adebayo roams the perimeter.

The spacing clearly wouldn’t be a problem, and he doesn’t fill up the same spots as Adebayo offensively. There would be opportunities for plenty of 4-5 PnR’s, due to Adebayo’s effectiveness off the dribble and Yurtseven’s choice between popping or rolling, as stated previously.

There’s no doubt that he is a special talent, but eyes are now turning toward the Heat to make sure they lock him up so they can see where it goes from here.

Marcus Garrett:

Two-Way Play Flashes

The reason the title of the Marcus Garrett section is “two-way play,” is due to his high level defensive antics and current placing in line to receive a two-way contract with Miami.

While the Yurtseven situation is pretty much a given for a two-way, Garrett is the type of player they like to grab early and see where it can possibly go. But if I’m going to be honest, when comparing him to past products that were similar, I don’t think any of them were as sound defensively as Garrett.

Outstanding ball pressure, quick hands to rack up constant steals, fights over screens, and just can’t be beat off the bounce. That’s a guy the Heat would definitely like to move up a tier on the roster, but some questions have come up if he really is a “two-way” player.

What I mean by that is his offensive skill-set was worrisome coming in, but he has had more flashes than I originally expected. Aside from the constant fast-break points after he picks someone’s pocket, he’s a pretty consistent finisher in the half-court.

And as seen in the first clip above, as physical and gritty that he is defensively, he brings that same fire on offense. Charging toward the basket and embracing contact for hard finishes screams Miami Heat player, and it’s going to take some big time performances from other guys on this roster to beat out Garrett for that spot.

Tyson Carter:

Point Guard Duties

Lastly, I dove into all of the top Heat performances in Summer League in my last piece, but one guy I didn’t get to was Tyson Carter. The reason for that was he did not have a great first game with the team, and that got cleared up a bit after yesterday’s game.

After a very strong game from Carter against the Warriors, I asked summer league coach Malik Allen about his ability to run the offense so smoothly at this point. He responded with the things he liked from him in that game, adding in that he was one of the last guys added to the roster, and was basically thrown into the fire in the first game.

Well, he turned his stock around after his 11 point performance on 67% shooting, while dishing out 5 assists as well. Out of all the point guards on this team, Carter looked the most under control and trustworthy on the floor.

He’s a very special passer with great court vision in the half-court, can shoot the three at a decent clip, and got to the rim whenever he chose out of the pick and roll. I wouldn’t be shocked if they move Carter up to starting point guard next game now that he is caught up a bit, and I think it’s somebody we will need to keep track of.

I’d say Yurtseven and Garrett are the two front-runners for the two-way spots, while Carter and DJ Stewart are somewhere in the background, one push away from being in that category.

 

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Breaking Down Miami’s Top Summer League Performers

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The Miami Heat beat the Los Angeles Lakers in the opening Summer League match, 80-78, with some promising performances across the board for Miami.

One thing that should be made clear is the my continued point about the Heat’s known focus coming into this. On their current roster, a back-up point guard is the one major hole, and even though an undrafted guy being put into the role isn’t ideal, it seemed like a good idea to flood the summer league roster with two-way point guards.

The Heat’s biggest performance came from Omer Yurtseven who they know much more about than the other guys, which is exactly where we will kick this off…

Omer Yurtseven

After a quick 8-0 start alone, Yurtseven finished the game with 27 points and 19 rebounds. For starters, his length compared to others on the floor was pretty clear, but it was good to see him taking advantage of it.

The offense was being worked through him early, while he sprinkled in some adjusted possessions where he forced a switch in the post and took advantage.

The more important area to highlight was his efficient and smooth shooting from deep, going 3 for 7 from outside the arc. That length that I just touched on gives him quite the advantage when shooting over the top of smaller defenders, but the confidence element is pretty crucial as well.

He looked comfortable out there in that offensive heavy role, but there were definitely some defensive lapses at times. Yurtseven has recognized in the past that he’s going to work on pick and roll coverage and base defensive principles, and some of those raw abilities were seen today.

The other issue was the seven turnovers in this game, but I wouldn’t go too crazy about that due to him being the team’s focal point with a ton of offensive responsibility. Taking care of the ball will probably be the next step, but the natural skill-set of popping out to the perimeter, soft touch down low, and comfort in the mid-range is pretty intriguing to see this early.

Marcus Garrett

Let me start off by saying this: Marcus Garrett is a past defensive player of the year for a reason. Although I can’t fully count out all of the deflections and disruptions caused in clips above, you get the idea.

If you’re trying to imagine a Miami Heat Summer League guard in a general sense, you’d probably be thinking about Garrett’s play-style. Diving on the floor for the ball, fighting over screens, not giving up on plays. He truly is the full package on that end, and there were essentially zero lapses when he was on the floor.

Six steals doesn’t even do my previous points justice, since the amount of ball pressure he can provide is special. While we knew that was the case coming in, the question marks were next to his offensive play-style.

And one thing that must be made clear is that he isn’t afraid to attack the basket right into the body of a defender. Besides that physicality, he’s a very good finisher around the rim, and has a tight handle to create for himself.

As seen in the final clip above, that in and out into a crossover absolutely throws his defender to the side to give him an open lane for a nice reverse. Although Yurtseven was the big story with his monster stat-line, Garrett was probably the most promising.

DJ Stewart

A personal favorite of mine that was going under the radar was DJ Stewart. A pure scorer who loves to locate inside the arc, and becomes patient when trying to find his comfortable dead spots.

He finished with 11 points on 50% shooting, but I believe there is so much room to expand on that performance. For one, on a team with a ton of point guards, he is put into an odd role.

Stewart is much more of an on-ball scorer than an off-ball scorer, mostly since he relies on his slow pacing to find good shots in the mid-range. His favorite shot has shown to be the elbow pull-up or the elbow turnaround, and he went right to that early on.

As seen above, he searches for that spot, hesitates a bit to freeze the defense, then fires away for the bucket. I honestly believe he has the most upside of the bunch, and that will be seen as these games progress.

When the Heat are looking for two-way contracts to use up, I wouldn’t be shocked if Stewart receives one of them.

Javonte Smart

In terms of Miami’s point guards in this game, Javonte Smart probably showcased the most point guard qualities. He knocked down 2 triples and scored 10 points, but the efficiency wasn’t great, shooting 3 for 13 from the field.

I will say that his jumper looked a lot smoother than it did when looking over his college career, which is promising for a young player to be making minor tweaks at this stage. A faster trigger was going to be necessary and it seems like he’s adjusted that a bit.

Back to those point guard qualities, he’s a great floor general when it comes to half-court play. You can see him evaluating certain ways they defended the pick and roll, leading to that decisive lob on the roll to Yurtseven.

If the Heat were to put out there best group with the guys that played tonight, Smart would most likely be a part of that group, dribbling the ball down the floor. If the scoring consistency could trend in a positive direction in future games, then I think there may be something there.

Micah Potter

The reason that I believe Micah Potter must be touched on in this piece has a lot to do with the general perception of him. To start it off, the stuff we already know about him was reinstated.

He can stretch the floor from three, he’s comfortable in the mid-range on turnarounds, and loves to fill up the interior in the post. Potter did all of those things by scoring 9 points off the bench on 67% shooting, but some of his weaknesses didn’t look as apparent.

Many labeled some of his biggest downfalls occurring on the defensive end, but I actually believe he held his own in that area tonight. I definitely don’t think he will ever be a great perimeter defender, but he contained very well in the pick and roll in drop coverage, and even exploded with a nice block in the clip above.

One reason Miami didn’t go crazy with signing bigs is that they aren’t looking to develop them anymore, but secondly, they’re comfortable with the two they have on this team. Potter will only grow and improve with the more games he plays in this environment, and I’ve been impressed already.

Usually bigs like that all carry the same traits, but his added mobility compared to others feels like it sets him apart from the rest.

Dru Smith

The final guy that should be discussed here is Dru Smith. He was a late add to the roster, but he ended up getting the start in the game tonight.

I’ve touched on certain things that players did best tonight, and that adjective for Smith was comfort. He looked like one of the most ready players on the floor tonight, which is more important than some may think.

He scored 11 points on 50% shooting, while also throwing in 4 assists and 2 steals. Smith was basically a mixture of a few of the guards I talked about previously.

He was very calm as a passer, fluid as a shooter, and hounding as a defender. If I’m going to be honest, the immediate on-ball defensive impact was not my expectation of his play-style, but he really showed that tonight.

He seems like a trusted player who has a much higher floor than others on this team. Sometimes a safe bet is a very positive thing when trying to prove yourself in Summer League, and he’s shown a bit of that in just one game.

An expanded version of that play-style with some extra hard drives to the basket to score can truly get some extra eyes on him.

Many of Miami’s players had some positive flashes, but the next step will be seeing if there can be some sense of consistency. And working in some guys like Gabe Vincent and Max Strus will only make those other players easier to pick out.

 

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

Visit them at EverythingTradeShows or call 954-791-8882