Tag Archive for: Miami Heat

Kyle Lowry’s Fit with Heat More than a Jimmy Butler Relationship

/1 Comment/in , /by

Kyle Lowry’s fit with the Miami Heat isn’t just being discussed because he’s the Godfather of Jimmy Butler’s daughter. Of course that’s the starting point, since it draws interest from a player like Lowry, but it seems like there are many more reasons for this to be a seamless fit.

The Heat have a bunch of needs, and when evaluating Lowry as a player, he fills a bunch of those things that Miami has missed. That is exactly what we will be diving into here. Aside from the exact numbers in a contract and surrounding pieces, what would he give Miami next season?

Let’s start here…

PnR Ball-Handler

Before talking Lowry’s strengths, the Heat’s weaknesses must be highlighted. Something I’ve talked about constantly is Miami’s lack of a pick and roll ball-handler. They had a guy in Kendrick Nunn who can get to the mid-range. A guy in Tyler Herro who can make the occasional pull-up triple. And a guy in Goran Dragic who could drive hard to the basket for a physical bucket.

But they don’t have somebody who can do more than one of those things.

When looking at that first round series against Milwaukee, a major key for their struggles was that certain player’s area of weakness became apparent rather quickly. The Bucks forced the Heat to take shots that they gave them. And well, Lowry navigates offensively on his terms.

In the clip above, we see Lowry run the PnR, leading to a lob and finish, but that aspect I’m going to dive into a little more down the line since that’s probably the most important part of the offensive fit. But staying on this topic, 28th in PPP when the ball-handler has the ball in the pick and roll would not be the case if Lowry was dissecting defenses.

The reason that most of the clips you’ll see in this piece are from the Raptors-Lakers game is to show that pulling highlight moments isn’t the point of this explanation. In fact, this game was Lowry’s last game of the season, showing that this is very recent film. Spoiler alert: he finished that game with 37 points and 11 assists.

Strong Attacking and Free Throw Antics

Another missing piece to this Heat offense is a secondary attacker, which has been harped on all season, then exposed come playoff time. When a team cuts off the head of the snake, in Jimmy Butler, there’s nobody else to attack in space. Combine that with the constant off-ball denial the Bucks through at Miami, and you have a very troubled offense.

Not only is Lowry a capable attacker, he’s a physical and ruthless attacker. Those two things translate to a good amount of free throw attempts, which took a bit of a dip this season from the year prior.

We all know that’s what Butler’s game is based on as well, which makes that combo so interesting. Something that’s always mentioned is that Butler plays at his own speed, and a major reason for that is he can slow the game down by turning it into a free throw competition. Lowry mirrors that same play-style, and I think that can benefit the franchise centerpiece.

Bam Adebayo improved in every area of his game this season, but of course, many seem to harp on the post-season lack of aggression more than anything. That aside, there’s no doubt he’s in line for another step forward with his offensive game. And the best way to propel that is to put two savvy vets next to him to control the pace, and allow him to play his game.

We’ve seen Butler’s gravity give Adebayo plenty of open elbow jumpers, and it feels like Lowry can bring that same element. Allowing Butler to get some rest in a game without the whole offense crumbling means that Lowry and Adebayo’s chemistry will be huge, and both of their play-styles feel like they would mesh well.

Oh, a Point Guard?

On my list of off-season needs, I had point guard very high. This kind of goes hand in hand with the PnR ball-handler discussion, but this expands even further. Why is that? Well, just take a look at the clip above.

Lowry is moving downhill with his roller, one defender trailing and the other containing. He stops at the free throw line, jabs and uses a ball-fake to force Montrezl Harrell to drop. They both fell for the fake, and it gave Lowry more than enough space to pull-up into a shot that he’s made plenty of times over his career.

But, Lowry is always reading a defense one rotation ahead. He saw LeBron James duck all the way into the paint for a possible tag/cut-off, and Markieff Morris rise with Pascal Siakam which eliminates his ability to split the difference with the corner. Lowry makes the pass to the corner for an open triple.

The reason that I’m diving into this play so deeply is because this is what the Heat miss. It shouldn’t be Butler and Adebayo creating for others each and every play, since that just restricts their own effectiveness in the offense. Yes, they will also look out for others as play-makers since that’s their game, but at times it seems like they’re forced into that role.

With that passing ability and those different offensive scoring techniques, it allows Erik Spoelstra to be much more creative in how he chooses to run his offense. If they retain Duncan Robinson, as I expect them to, they can diversify their sets a lot more with a point guard of Lowry’s caliber.

Shooting Spots

After hitting on a bunch of his ways of scoring, it’s important to note the part of the offense that is essential next to Miami’s two stars. When you’re two best players aren’t good three-point shooters, that third acquisition has to have that ability in his bag.

He has just that, and while we’re discussing Coach Spo’s creativity with him, this is where that comes into play. When looking at the clips above, we see Lowry’s ability to score off the dribble with step-backs, side-steps, and obviously, the pump-fake until the defender jumps technique.

He got the foul call and knocked down the three, which is not something we’ve seen a lot of this season since most of Miami’s triples occur with off-ball screening, dribble hand-offs, or pick and roll pull-ups.

But that’s not why Spo can get creative, since it’s the second clip that brings that point alive. After an offensive rebound, they reset offense and Lowry comes off a DHO for a three. Having a player that is a threat off the dribble, as well as off the ball is quite the player to add to the offense.

Although I’m showcasing a DHO that ended in this fashion, he seems so comfortable in that set since he loves to play-make on the move. The over-the-head pass from the wing to the elbow was his biggest strength in that action, and well, we all know who would be stationed at that elbow: Bam Adebayo.

How does Butler Benefit?

Adebayo’s been a sticking point within the offense during this Lowry discussion, but how would Butler actually benefit? Other than the stuff about a secondary attacker and a guy who can control lineups when he goes to the sideline, I see the most effectiveness with them running stuff together.

We saw Dragic-Butler PnR’s become one of their best offensive sets in the regular season, which just shows the way they were trending offensively. As seen above, Dragic would usually lob it up to Butler as high as possible, knowing he’d climb the ladder and come down with it at the basket.

They also ran a bunch of inverted PnR’s with Dragic as the screener which worked just as well. Dragic setting the angled screen for Butler to go downhill with a guard switching onto him always ended in a positive result.

This is important to note because Lowry/Butler combinations can be even more effective. He’s a craftier passer when getting in the mid-range area, since it’s not just the lob pass that is the option. He also has a quicker pull-up that constantly keeps defenders on their toes. They both have had major success in that area over their careers, which makes me think we’d see plenty of lineups with 3 floor spacers to give them two the middle of the floor to go to work.

Adding Some Defense

Loading
Loading...

This entire piece has been offense driven, mostly since that’s where the actual fit can be discussed. As a whole, we already know what Lowry brings on the defensive end at the point of attack, which makes the acquisition even more intriguing.

He’s physical with opposing guards, he can force them to become frustrated, and even has success in the post with his wide frame. All of these elements lead to something that Miami lacked for most of the season which is transition offense.

Referring back to Lowry’s ability to get to the charity stripe, a lot of that comes from fast-break opportunities where he takes the contact to get some points. Miami’s guard play this season was a lot of avoiding contact to try and score, which becomes an issue when things tighten up in the post-season.

As showcased in this piece, it’s clear that Lowry’s fit is much more than a relationship with Butler, but well, that’s where this topic stems from. They know that they have a good shot at him due to the fact it’s intriguing to come play with a player and an organization that shares the same mentality that he does.

The next step would be to round out the supporting cast to become an Eastern Conference contender, but that’s a decent start. We’ll see what happens with that type of stuff as we approach the off-season, but for now, one thing is clear: Lowry can change a bunch of things for the Miami Heat.

What is the Next Step for Andre Iguodala?

/0 Comments/in , /by

As we continue this series on the Heat’s roster, most of these evaluations require more film diving than off-season stuff. But with Andre Iguodala, it’s the complete opposite.

We’re very aware of the things Iguodala brings as a player, mostly since he just finished up his 17th season in the NBA. In terms of his fit with the Heat this past season, it wasn’t as much of a seamless fit as it was the year prior.

The trade at the deadline last season was a perfect move for what the team needed. Two veteran wings, in Jae Crowder and Iguodala, that could not only mentor the young guys, but also fit the role of a plug and play guy that Heat coach Erik Spoelstra loves so much.

Iguodala was an essential factor in the Heat’s post-season success in the bubble for an abundance of reasons. For one, he brought that second unit play-making and facilitating that the team seemed to lack. They had a guy that could be trusted with the ball in his hands to make a play when Jimmy Butler went to the sideline.

Another reason for his effectiveness was on the defensive end for obvious reasons, but more specifically, as a wall builder against Giannis Antetokounmpo. Many attribute that stoppage to the front-court of Bam Adebayo and Crowder only, when in reality, the Iguodala sub-in made Antetokounmpo’s life even worse since he never got a break.

Clearly, he’s a man of many skills on the basketball court, but well, those skills weren’t blended as nicely this past season. In some ways, that trade that I’m discussing propelled some of the future moves that Miami will make for a front-court pairing. They either need a small-ball four who can consistently hit the three, like Crowder or Trevor Ariza, or a stretch big/rim protector that can muck things up in the middle.

The truth is that Iguodala is neither of those things. They don’t need play-making from their back-up small forward, since it should really be coming from a true point guard, which we will save that conversation for another time.

At this current time, roster reconstruction is occurring, which means that the clear holes will be filled in different facets of the off-season. And when looking for a reserve wing who can plug into the starting lineup at times, Iguodala’s profile does not match Butler and Adebayo’s games at all.

If you can’t play a key role player next to your two best player as an effective lineup, it just doesn’t make much sense.

What’s Next?

Now, the contract stuff makes this even more interesting, since well, the Heat can choose how they’d like to handle it. With $15 Million being the number for this upcoming season and a team option attached, there’s a good chance they will opt in and utilize him as a filler in a sign and trade.

I’m going to begin diving into some options out there in free agency and through trade, but it’s clear that the trading route may be the best way to go. Miami lacks a ton of assets, due to the unfortunate draft pick situation, but they also can’t just throw away the two salary fillers that they have at this time, in Iguodala and Goran Dragic.

If they go the free agency route, then they can just opt out, which is also a possibility. Either way, the Heat can play the waiting game on how they decide to treat this off-season.

And as I discussed in my Ariza piece, if they can retain him on a cheap deal, there’s no better Iguodala filler. Ariza is not the guy you want starting at the four on a team trying to become a contender, but he’s a perfect guy to have as a reserve, especially since he’s gained the trust of the top two players on the team.

As for Iguodala’s next spot, it seems like retirement or a return to a familiar face may be the two most likely options. Could he finish out his career in Golden State? I believe so, since he could be a type of player that they could use. A bunch of young guys just barely missed the playoffs in the Western Conference, meaning maybe a little veteran guidance could be all that they need.

We’ll see what happens when we get there, but the overarching point is that although his Heat career may be over, that acquisition kept the front office’s mentality stagnant. Trading a young asset for win now guys usually ends in a positive result.

Tyler Herro’s Full Sophomore Season Wrap-Up

/0 Comments/in , /by

Expectations are a funny thing. It’s one element that I’d attribute to Tyler Herro, since the expectations have been high for quite some time.

Having to prove to others that making the move to Kentucky instead of staying home to play for Wisconsin was the correct choice pretty much prepared him for these moments. Expectations lowered a bit when he entered the league, since many didn’t think much of the draft choice, but things changed rather quickly.

Three-point pull-ups down the stretch against Philly to playing out of his mind in the NBA bubble to being looked toward to takeover in an NBA finals was quite the ride for Herro. With that being said, stagnant play into his second season was far from expected.

This led to differing opinions across the board on this young prospect, but saying he had a bad season is highly unfair to say. Maybe a down season in terms of an individual’s expectations heading in, but overall, he made some necessary leaps that will make the difference long term. Of course there are plenty of things that need to improve this off-season, which I will highlight in this piece, but let’s dive into the primary facets of his game this season.

Progressing Upward:

Screen Utilization

Herro’s utilization of the screen is something I’ve kept my eye on since the beginning of the season. It’s a major part of his game due to his scoring relying so heavily on finding open spots off the screen, but it looked to need some polishing with decision making.

Loading
Loading...

This game against Philly early in the season is a perfect referral point when comparing early season Herro to now, since they had eight available players, which meant he was running every set and had the ball in his hands a lot.

Looking at the play above, the initial takeaway is that he made a great read with an open lane for an easy dunk. It’s also clear this occurred because of Philly’s lackluster rotations on this possession. But when looking back at it now, it basically opened up a can of worms for how defenses would guard him moving forward.

It got to a point where more than half of his screens were being refused, which is a great tactic in moderation, but not when it becomes predictable. Danny Green also angled Herro right on this play, which is something he hasn’t seen much of down the stretch of the season.

This led to the discussion of when will the jump be made to begin to flow into screens and be both comfortable and effective with it. After a few more games went by, there was an increase in that area, but it shifted into another predictable move: a snake dribble.

He got so comfortable with it that defenses were staying at the hip of the screener at times, basically daring him to drive it into the teeth of the defense. But well, we’ve begun to see some evolving traits within this topic…

I’ve used the word predictable a couple times when discussing this on-ball ability, since that is what makes some of the best scorers in the league so great. When a defender doesn’t know your next move with so much in your bag, that’s the first step in becoming a high level offensive threat.

So, Herro flowing into pick and rolls became more apparent down the stretch of the season as an area of focus, but that predictability term comes right back into play. Usually when he did come off high PnR’s, it was a pull-up three when he was facing drop coverage. Some may not love the idea of that shot all the time, but it’s clear when he’s confident and in rhythm, those shots can propel his game immediately.

There’s still plenty of improvements to be made here, but there’s still a ton of time for that to be perfected. The key is that he showed signs of change over the course of a couple months, which is essential from a long term perspective.

Progressing Downward:

Consistent Downhill Attacking

When evaluating Herro’s attacking, he showed some very positive signs to begin the year. Right back to this Philly game, the defense knew he was their primary offensive factor and he was still able to get to the basket a good amount of times. On this play, some scrambling in transition leads to Herro going for the drive-by and the finger-roll.

Not only was he getting there a lot early on, but the efficiency didn’t look too bad either when he got to the rim. But much like the last discussion, teams seemed to figure it out a bit.

He’s not a strong attacker who’s going to take it into your chest and try to draw the foul. If he is moving downhill, he’s going to try and avoid the contact, leading to some ugly looking layups or highlight reel quality flip shots. The latter occurred frequently to begin the season, but the first option became more and more apparent down the stretch.

He gets caught in the air on the PnR and tries to go up and under, which ends poorly. This is one of the few things that I saw progress on a down-slope, which once again means that defenses were adjusting faster than his individual progression. It happens, but it has to be cleaned up.

When addressing how it can be changed a bit, it probably reverts back to an overarching point that many have discussed which is getting stronger. It’s not just about his size, but he’s not a very physical player which is not something that is teachable. Goran Dragic, for example, has always been a pretty physical player as an attacker, which is something Herro can definitely carry over to game once he hits the weight room.

The reason these two topics I’ve begun with are so important is because they go hand in hand. I don’t feel that there will be true growth until both of these things progress together, and that will come with a true off-season, and more importantly, a true role which I’ll discuss down the line.

How Has His Shooting Actually Been?

In the big picture, yes, the shooting could’ve been a lot better. 36% on the season after shooting 39% last season definitely shouldn’t occur, but it has trended in the right direction for some time now. Talking about the playoff series against the Bucks is useless due to everyone playing poorly, so there’s no reason to harp on those four horrific games.

But toward the end of the season, the shooting began to pick up a bit after returning from injury. Over his last 15 games of the regular season, he shot 65% on catch and shoot threes, while shooting 41% on pull-up threes. While the theme seems to be he under-performed for most of the season, those numbers are pretty impressive after a rough start.

Speaking of that rough start, is there a specific reason that his area of strength took a toll over that period of time?

Yes, it’s the uneven role that he had for a portion of the season. Of course this interesting year didn’t allow for set roles a lot of the time with interchanging lineups early on, but Herro’s journey was much different. Being upgraded to starting point guard forced him to become an action runner instead of an action thriver.

That task might have thrown him off a bit for some time, possibly blending into my earlier point about him attacking better early in the season. But there was a consistent theme over his last 15 games, which was that he knew his role was to be a spark scorer off the bench. If he can work on his exact role all off-season without all of the other confusing elements, that alone can propel some of those shooting numbers that we’re talking about.

Increased Creativity

This play showcases more of that snake dribble stuff, since frankly, he seems very comfortable when he’s surveying the mid-range area, even going back to his rookie season. The reason the word creativity comes into play is the way he gets his shots up.

He likes the elbow pull-up against drop or floaters on the run, but he has some really odd push shots in his bag that…..work?

Separation is key with Herro since finding the space to get a good shot off cannot be overstated with him. But this type of stuff gets him the space and separation that he needs, even if it does look awkward at times. He does a good job of keeping the defender on his back, then eventually his hip, which eliminates any type of block opportunity on his one-hand rise up.

This is another thing that may not be perceived as overly important, but it is in the grand scheme of things. These flashes of creativity are great to see, but they just need a base on-ball ability. Once he gets that, all of these other things I’m touching on will come together.

Passing Inconsistency Translates to Uneven Role

As I touched on with the shooting, the uneven role for Herro this season has led to some ups and downs with his play-making. Looking back at this game against Philly one last time, the lob passes were flying all night. He was confident with the pass, and he was getting to the spots where it’s usually the most effective.

He was given the on-ball duty in these type of actions, leading to plenty of lob passes. The issue was that as time went on, even when he was running sets, the number of crisp lob passes decreased lower and lower.

Maybe it’s a good thing that the frequency has lowered after the realization that scoring must be his primary focus when he is on the floor. In some ways, the coaching staff can utilize this season as a trial year for Herro. They came to a conclusion of what he is as a player at this current stage, and where he works best in the offense. Of course there will be some progression that can change some things moving forward, but that will only make things easier for the team.

What’s Next?

As I stated in the beginning of this piece, there have been mixed emotions about Herro this season, but in my mind, this off-season for him is pretty clear from the perspective of the front office.

They are happy to continue to develop him to see what he can become, but if the right deal comes along to add a third star to this Miami Heat roster next to Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler, they will pull the trigger. Due to the Heat lacking a ton of trade assets, Herro is at the top of that list to entice an opposing team.

Other than that, they are not giving up on the future of Herro. He’s shown a ton of flashes up to this point, and the weakness areas that I’ve touched on can easily be improved upon.

Herro is one of the few players in this roster evaluation series that doesn’t have contract implications in the “What’s next” section, but yet, he’s the biggest wild card of them all. Time will only tell what will come next for his individual improvement this off-season, but he clearly has the tools to do so.

Some may immediately label this season negatively for Herro, but I actually believe it was crucial for his development, combining that with necessary improvements in some of the major areas of his game.

Loading
Loading...

Trevor Ariza: Finding a Deal Then Finding a Role

/0 Comments/in , /by

Recency bias aside, it’s safe to say the Trevor Ariza trade was an outstanding acquisition. Meyers Leonard and a second round pick was the price, and he immediately slotted into the starting four spot next to Bam Adebayo to try and make a late-season run.

Before we address the next stages of Trevor Ariza, let’s take a second to look back at what he brought to the table in the regular season. No surprise here, it was exactly what he has done for a major portion of his NBA career…

Corner Spot-Up:

We all know Erik Spoelstra loves to size down come playoff time, but the Ariza acquisition allowed him to integrate that lineup even sooner. The offensive mindset was to place him in the corner as a spacer, where he’s thrived his whole career, while also placing him in some DHO sets where he’d pop out to the wing.

He shot 37% on spot up threes in 30 games this season on 4 attempts per game. The high three point usage allowed him to run some more back-cuts as the year progressed, but it back-tracked once the post-season arrived. The Bucks mucked up the paint as much as possible, which meant Ariza and others would have to rely on the three-point shot no matter the circumstance.

The catch and shoot threes ended up plummeting to 25% in those 4 first round games, while the two point attempts were cut in half. Harping on playoff numbers are kind-of useless due to everybody’s number tailing off during that stretch, but the Jae Crowder effect forced that to become a sticking point.

For the record, Crowder is currently shooting 31% from three in the playoffs with the Phoenix Suns, which is why it’s not about him as a player, it’s about what he brought to the Heat last season. He shot the ball very well from beyond the arc in the first two playoff series in the bubble, adding a major element to the Heat’s offense.

This led to many discussing Ariza needing to bring that type of shooting in the first round, but it just didn’t occur. This shifts into my point about what’s next for Ariza and his role, which I will discuss down the line.

Defensive Disruption:

Shooting numbers may fluctuate, but his defensive presence was pretty consistent all season. The ability to hit passing lanes, create transition offense, alter shots with his length, and utilize quickness all played a part in Miami’s defensive explosion over a long stretch during the regular season.

There was a point when Ariza was guarding an opposing point guard every single night, which meant they could switch 1/5 PnRs more often than usual. But a common theme kept coming up, Adebayo can lock up the guard on the switch, but Ariza’s lack of strength on the block isn’t great against true bigs.

This was another one of those playoff discussions, since Ariza isn’t a guy that you can just throw on Giannis Antetokounmpo to slow him down. Antetokounmpo’s favorite offensive spots were Ariza’s least favorite defensive spots, which causes some issues.

Other than that, he played his role perfectly on that end of the floor, fitting really well into Spo’s altering defensive schemes with the 2-2-1 press, 2-3 zone, and others.

Unique Utilization:

The last thing I want to touch on is the utilization of Ariza. There were moments when the offense generated for him were contested threes or unorthodox pull-ups. Most of the time that stuff led to points in the other direction, but there were also spurts where he was used in creative ways that I expected when he arrived.

As mentioned earlier, Spo loves the small ball four, and one of the reasons is that he can throw out unique offensive sets for the five on the floor. He’s an exceptional cutter, which led to plenty of wide open layups off DHO fakes and staggered screens, but take a look at the clip above as an example.

Loading
Loading...

Jimmy Butler playing quarterback as Goran Dragic sets the back-screen. Ariza sprints off of it leading to an easy dunk off the lob. The point of the play was to give the offense some options. If one of the defenders, or both of them, dropped on the cutting Ariza, Dragic would have received the ball on the baseline off the Adebayo screen, resetting for plenty more options.

But as we know, we didn’t get to see many of these actions in the playoffs due to Brook Lopez socially distancing from the three-point line all series long. But is it time to go away from undersized, veteran fours in the starting front-court?

What’s Next?

The next stage of Ariza has a lot to do with a new contract. I’m not exactly sure how that will look until time progresses into the off-season, but a minimum deal could very well be sitting there.

To that point, if they want him back on that cheap deal, it’s not to compliment Butler and Adebayo in the front-court, it’s to round out the bench unit. With Andre Iguodala most likely out, due to Miami’s best option being opting out of that unrealistic contract size or opting in to throw into a trade package as a filler, Ariza may be the perfect replacement with that group.

To be honest, Iguodala restricted a lot of Miami’s bench minutes this season, since guys like Dragic receive constant help off drives with defenders sagging off Iguodala in the corner. That wouldn’t be happening if that was Ariza in that corner.

This leads to finding some upgrades in the supporting cast, as well as a power forward or center starter next to Adebayo. It circles back to the positions of need, since although the front-court piece is on my list, a shot-creating guard must be a priority as well. The reason this is important to note when discussing Ariza is that his bench role should not be expanded upon.

It shouldn’t be Ariza trying to create for others or work drive and kicks with that bench unit. It has to be a guard that they trust to run their sets, as well as knock down some shots in open space without a screen. 28th in PPP when the ball-handler has the ball in a PnR is far from ideal. If that can be added, along with Ariza shifting down to the Iguodala role, that’s a good start from a team building perspective.

There are plenty of holes to fill on this Heat team, which means the front office will be looming in every aspect this off-season: free agency, sign and trades, and even undrafted guys. But as for Ariza, some of the base guys down the roster have to be ones that Butler and Adebayo trust, and both mid-season acquisitions fall under that category.

If they can retain them on cheap deals, they’re perfect complimentary pieces at the bottom of the rotation.

Loading
Loading...

The Endless Positives from Dewayne Dedmon’s Season in Miami

/0 Comments/in , /by

There was only one negative aspect to Dewayne Dedmon’s finish to the season: he was pretty much the best player for the Heat in the first round against the Milwaukee Bucks. That may be a huge positive for Dedmon, but clearly, that reflected poorly on the rest of the team.

If you asked me to describe his season with the team, the first word that comes to mind is consistency. Not just a consistent number in a scoring or rebounding column, but consistent in his role on a night to night basis.

The idea early on was to develop Precious Achiuwa on the fly and have him back-up Bam Adebayo as the season progressed. A main reason that didn’t work out was due to the fact they never knew what they were going to get from him, which is the usual story-line with inexperienced rookies.

Miami ended up “settling” for Dedmon after some other players went in different directions in the buyout market, but the league learned rather quickly, they didn’t settle at all. He was by far the best big on the market in hindsight, and he proved that from his first time hitting the floor to his continued battle in game four of the first round.

Most of these pieces have been pointing out strengths and weaknesses from players on the season, but Dedmon’s play forces us to evaluate him in a much different fashion. We’re just highlighting his areas of strength, since frankly, there isn’t a long list of weaknesses from what he showed in his minutes down the stretch.

When he was first acquired, there was only one question I had about him as a player at this stage, and it ended up being answered quickly:

Is He Mobile?

It’s a fair question to ask when adding a player from the buyout market, especially one who hasn’t played in quite some time. Usually guys of his size are slow-footed, but I was very surprised at his ability to move up and down the floor.

For example, the clip above was one of my first moments of realization that he can make a real impact on this squad with the ability to buy into what Miami likes to do. He runs in transition for an easy bucket, which seems simple and semi-meaningless, but it’s actually the exact opposite.

I feel these glimpses were the initial tell for Coach Spoelstra to go to him full time, especially in this game against San Antonio which was one of his first breakouts with the team.

Butler-Dedmon PnR Chemistry

One more thing to mention before diving into some actual strengths is a lineup combination. Jimmy Butler’s chemistry with a back-up big was going to be crucial for the team during the season, due to their inability to sit Butler and Adebayo on the bench at the same time.

That meant there were plenty of minutes where Butler was out there without Adebayo, while he never seemed to have a great rhythm with Achiuwa. Dedmon got his first minutes when Butler was out, but once he returned, it looked like they played together for years.

A veteran presence who knows how to set a hard screen and roll hard is all Butler needs with his interior gravity. It led to plenty of plays like the one above, where Butler flows into what looks like an elbow jumper, freezing both defenders in the PnR, then dumps it down to Dedmon for a bucket.

And for Dedmon, all he needed was good positioning around the basket and it was basically a wrap. He shot 71% from the field in a 16 game sample size to finish the season, and 77% less than 10 feet from the basket. When seeing those stats and watching the games, he just needs a decent passer in the PnR for him to get a good look at the rim, and Butler was the best man for the job.

Wait, He Can Protect the Rim?

While we’re discussing some of the unknowns with Dedmon, I don’t think many had a good grasp on what he could bring defensively. There were possessions that he would switch onto the perimeter and actually hold his own, of course sprinkling in some blow-bys, but the consensus was that he competes.

When he would begin to drop, it allowed him to enter his comfort area. The rim protection to this extent was not really expected. This isn’t to say he was swatting shots and deterring attackers all night, but he made them pay when they tried to test him.

On the play above, it’s the full Dedmon experience. Good containing in the PnR, rotating over for the tag with his guy in the dunker spot, and ultimately a great block at the rim. That was one of the few questions we had about him heading in, and once again, he gave us an answer rather quickly. A known fact is that high IQ players can give you those signs really early on.

Offensive Glass Specialist 

The rebounding issue for Miami wasn’t just a surprise in the first round of the playoffs. That was a recurring theme all season with the tallest player in the rotation being 6’9. There was some hope Dedmon could bring some of that, and not only is he a capable rebounder, he’s a physical one.

We can sit here and discuss the constant efforts on the defensive glass, but the second chance points really stood out. Something to mention with Achiuwa was that if he got an offensive board, most of the time there wasn’t going to be an offensive reset. He was going to go back up and try to score again, leading to a bunch of transition opportunities in the other direction.

Dedmon can read the crowd in the interior very well, leading into plays like the one above where he immediately goes back up, knowing Patty Mills is the one trying to box him out on his hip.

Some have mentioned the importance of spark players in the past: Tyler Herro pull-up threes that force the home crowd to explode, Derrick Jones Jr bodies, among others. But don’t underestimate Dedmon and-ones from this season, since there were a ton of momentum shifters that occurred from his energy down low.

The Odd Flip Shot

The analysis on this is very simple: unorthodox and odd flip shots, hook shots, and scoops really fall under Dedmon’s offensive category. This league hasn’t seen a big flying through the lane with the urge to throw up a sky-hook, but Dedmon found a way to utilize it, and actually be effective with it.

On this play, he receives the ball in traffic and flips it up and in, seeming like a normal score, but it really isn’t in this current NBA. His most efficient shot of the regular season occurred after he took one dribble, even though zero dribbles had a much higher frequency. The reason that’s important to mention is that those gather dribbles always seemed to factor into those weird makes.

These are shots that he’s practiced over time, and it’s a great asset for a veteran player, since it could age nicely with that type of go-to move.

Hmm, Above the Break Triples?

The sample size isn’t huge on above the break threes from Dedmon, or even threes in general, but we got a glimpse in the post-season. He was the only player to get anything going in game two, leading to having the confidence to shoot a shot like the one above.

We’ve seen his three-point shooting in the past, but the efficiency levels were the question. And yet, it still is the question. The thing about it is that consistency from that area may not be the biggest deal about that trait. It’s more about my next, and final, topic with a certain lineup combination.

Either way, seeing this ability so late in the season makes you wonder about the different ways he could be utilized. Not that he could’ve looked any better than he was, but that opens up others so he can have a bigger role. A reason I believe we didn’t see it earlier has to do with his focus on learning his role and mastering it.

He mentioned after the season that he still doesn’t know a lot of the plays, due to the fact he arrived late. If he knows Miami’s game-plan completely, I think we could see a much freer version of himself.

Adebayo-Dedmon minutes 

And finally, the thing that was seen a little too late, but clearly wouldn’t have made the difference in that specific setting. The continued discussion with this team has been Adebayo’s front-court pairing. They acquired a perfect fill-in at the 4, in Trevor Ariza, but it always led us into: who else is there?

Do they player Butler at the 4? Does Iguodala’s shooting eliminate offensive spacing? Could a back-up big be squeezed in?

The last question was finally answered in game two, and it could definitely expand over time. As mentioned previously, Dedmon’s shooting could propel those type of things at times, but I also don’t believe it’s that simple.

Even without him shooting, plays like this occurred in this lineup. Adebayo running the DHO with Duncan Robinson as Dedmon crashes the boards. It’s another reason for the rebounding issues discussed earlier, due to Adebayo’s positioning leading to an inability to gather himself in the painted area.

These lineups allow each of them to do what they do best. Defensively, it allows Adebayo to roam the perimeter, while Dedmon tags rollers, protects the rim, and grabs defensive rebounds.

The reason it’s important to talk about is because I don’t believe that was the last we saw from this pairing. Dedmon said after the season, “I would hope to be back next year,” and his immediate fit and impact should mean the organization feels the same way.

Twenty total games for Dedmon in a Heat uniform may be a small sample size for some, but when a player gives you the exact same thing in all twenty of them, you have a keeper.

The one thing that has stuck with me from Dedmon is when he said, “I’m just here to have fun.” That’s his personality, and that’s a personality the Heat would love to have in their locker room as they prepare for another run.

The Season Evaluation of Miami’s Two-Way Guys

/0 Comments/in , /by

If there was ever a year to have a two-way contract in the NBA, the 2020-2021 season was the one. It was clearly unlike any other, meaning the unknown factor of Covid implications meant you didn’t know who you would have out there on any given night.

Due to that point, the league expanded rosters to allow two-way guys to be a part of the team for all 72 games and playoffs, which is quite the experience. Gabe Vincent and Max Strus took advantage of that opportunity, since Miami dealt with those implications all year.

Not only did that mean they got to see the floor a lot of the time, but even got some starting opportunities.

We had a good idea of who Vincent was as a player, which ended up being completely wrong, while there was not a true definition of who Strus was. But well, we got to see exactly what they were made of, so let’s dive right into their play this season.

Shooting:

Instead of highlighting strengths and weaknesses with these two guys, it feels necessary to group them together into the main categories, while shooting is the most interesting, in my opinion, for a couple reasons.

Before comparing them, the job that Strus did as a movement shooter was truly unexpected. Having to fill the shoes of one of the best movement shooters in the league, in Duncan Robinson, is quite the task, but he seemed to do so after a rough start.

To be honest, the shooting did not look like a strength in his first few games with the Heat. An 0 for 8 night from three against the Los Angeles Lakers is a main one that comes to mind, since they just were not dropping, but he refused to stop shooting. And that’s a tendency that Erik Spoelstra loves.

Taking a look at the clip above, he slips the screen and spots up at the wing, immediately pulling with zero hesitation. That was a sticking point with Sturs when looking back at his shooting, due to the fact that every shot looks the same, forgetting about the result.

If I was to point out a weakness in that area, it’s that there was limited side-steps, pump-fakes, and things like that, which meant he trusted his jumper so much no matter the contest he was getting. That’s a positive thing, but only to a certain extent.

Anyway, he played his role to perfection whenever he was thrown in off the bench ice cold. Anre Iguodala joked around earlier in the season that he’s never seen a player make his first shot every single night in any circumstance. The key with that statement is that he was always ready, and that’s something the Miami Heat look for.

To cut over to Gabe Vincent as a shooter, it’s been an interesting ride for him. Everybody remembers from the year prior that his biggest strength was shooting from the outside, with an inability to do anything other than spotting up. But well, the shooting consistency was clearly an issue this season, and there were reasons for it.

For one, he mentioned after the season when speaking with media that he changed his shot a bit mid-way through the season, which clearly takes some getting used to. The natural perception from people observing this Heat team is that Vincent shot the ball poorly this season, while Strus shot it well from deep, and that doesn’t really translate to the numbers.

Strus shot 50 of 148 from deep this season, while Vincent shot 46 of 149 from three. Yes, sometimes numbers can be misconstrued, such as some of Vincent’s coming late in games or Strus’ early struggles plummeted percentages, but either way, the way Vincent has been viewed just isn’t accurate.

He really struggled as a catch and shoot guy, shooting slightly under 30% as a spot-up guy. But lucky for him, he wasn’t in an off-ball role much this season, which I will discuss a little bit more down the line.

Vincent really showed most of his shooting flashes off the dribble, as seen in this clip. He pulls up off the high pick and roll and knocks it down, mostly since momentum pushing him forward leads to a certain rhythm that he’s comfortable with. Spot-up shots play much more into the mental game, and it’s a main reason he adjusted his shot to expand range and make it a bit quicker.

He is very aware that the consistency must get a lot better if he wants a role in this league, and the best thing for it is what he will get this off-season: playing time. With both the Olympics and Summer League approaching, he will get plenty of floor time.

Defense:

There hasn’t been much discussion about the defensive attributes of Strus, but it feels like it must be touched on before diving into the scrappy Vincent.

Strus has the ability to play physical on that end of the floor due to his stocky build, but post defense wasn’t his only area of strength. He surprisingly had some good defensive possessions in the pick and roll, fitting the switching scheme perfectly whenever he was inserted.

Young guys, as well as two-way guys, are always energetic when entering the game on the defensive end, especially on a Heat team that takes pride in it. I remember the first thing that stuck out about Strus when he played early on was his eagerness to eliminate soft switching, which was an issue at the time.

When he knew that he could make it over the screen, he’d fight through so Bam Adebayo didn’t just pick him up effortlessly. As times expanded, there was a realization that it wasn’t the worst thing in the world for him to switch onto the big and bang around in the paint.

Take a look at the clip above as an example, since he stays complacent to eliminate the lob, leading to a missed layup and perfect box-out for a rebound over Jarrett Allen. The shooting is obviously his strength, but the ability to fight on the defensive end kept him on the floor in many of these games.

As I mentioned earlier, we all believed shooting was the primary aspect of Vincent’s game, but it ended up being on the exact opposite end of the floor. Taking charges, hitting passing lanes, and well, finding a scheme that fit him perfectly.

There was a point early in the season where the 2-2-1 press could’ve been called the “Vincent and Iguodala chamber.” They basically waited for those two guys to check in before throwing it at opposing teams, and it worked perfectly.

As seen on this play, they thrived whenever a team didn’t have a true ball-handler in the game. They knew when to contain, then pounce on a certain guy for a double, leading into transition offense. The interesting thing about that statement is that we’re bundling up a guy who got a Finals MVP for basically handling LeBron James, and a two-way player with zero experience. That’s a pretty big compliment.

The reason I think the next step in his offensive game is so important is due to their being so much potential as a defender. Toning down some of the fouls and unnecessary reaches must come next, but once again, that comes with experience at this level.

Attacking:

If you asked me the one thing that surprised me most about Strus this season, my answer would be that he’s sneaky athletic. That didn’t seem to be listed on the player profile before the season, but his Heat teammates learned quickly whenever he got on the floor: he wasn’t afraid to go up and try to dunk on somebody.

When I mentioned previously that side-steps and pump-fakes weren’t included in his offensive package, catch-and-gos definitely were, which is important when a shooter gets going as he did in Houston during this game.

It’s not just about the highlight throw downs, since he’s actually proved to be decently methodical when flowing into a pick and roll to get to the rim. The ball handling factor isn’t his best attribute, but he definitely knows what to do once he gets to the rim.

To be completely honest, picking out clear weaknesses from his game this season would not be easy to do. He did just what he was asked to do, and much more. When discussing his future with the team, it’s pretty clear that he will be back next season, especially with the Duncan Robinson situation.

That doesn’t mean he can replace what he does or that Robinson is gone, but in Miami’s win now shoes, you never know if a trigger could be pulled on a deal, leading to that next man up mentality for Strus. When he was asked about his potential after the season, he responded, “Just look at Duncan. I feel I can be like him.”

That’s far from an easy task, but he’s shown some clear signs that Robinson didn’t even show in his first year.

Whenever Strus entered the game this season, his role was clear: DHO’s, catch and shoot, etc. But Vincent, on the other hand, had a much more complex role that he had to adjust to.

He has played most of his life as an off-ball guy, but was basically handed the keys to the offense when he was inserted. Not only when coming in off the bench, but even starting seven games this season to run their offensive sets with the starters.

Once again, that’s not his comfort area, but he had to adjust quickly after given the opportunity. It’s another reason I believe that he struggled at times from deep. Most young guys, or two-way players, have a specific job and role to fill, while Vincent’s job was to basically make sure everybody else was in their spots, while also checking on his own offensive play-style.

The attacking jumped off the screen in those minutes, as seen above. He’s running double drag with a scoring mindset from the beginning of the play, sprinting right at Joel Embiid for a score at the basket. That wasn’t ever Vincent’s game, but it became his game.

I asked Vincent about having to work on his on-ball attributes this Summer after being put into that spot this season, which he responded, “That part of my game will definitely need to grow, and it will grow. It’ll be very important, most of my career I’ve been off the ball, and now I’ve gone higher and higher throughout basketball, and the more on the ball I am.”

That will be the focus this off-season, since even though many may believe another two-way guy could step in, they trust Vincent’s play and that development will force the Heat to have no other choice but to give him another shot.

 

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

How Would Damian Lillard Look in the Miami Heat’s Scheme?

/0 Comments/in , /by

To start this off, Damian Lillard to Miami may be a long shot. First, he must actually express to the Portland Trail Blazers that he wants out. Then, he would have to list Miami as a primary location. And of course, they’d have to evaluate the pieces and assets that are out there for a guy of his caliber.

With that said, it’s the off-season for the Miami Heat, and as long as Pat Riley is steering the ship, anything can happen. The part that I want to dive into here is strictly basketball based. The actual acquisition stuff is unclear and a bit tricky due to the lack of major assets that the Heat have.

Does Bam Adebayo being listed as an untouchable piece pertain to Damian Lillard? Would that be a possibility? Do they think it could be done without him?

There are a lot of angles to approach this, but let’s take a look at how he would look in the Miami Heat offense next to Jimmy Butler and company…

Loading
Loading...

Double Drag Killer

Before looking a little deeper into Lillard, a big reason that the Heat had so much success in the bubble was obviously due to the high level play they got from Goran Dragic. But I don’t believe it was that simple.

The reality is that he had enough burst to run Miami’s base sets at a highly effective rate, leading to good things when shooters were knocking down shots. The main action I’m referring to is double drag, since they ran that into the ground in the bubble, but were unable to do so this season since, well, they didn’t have anybody to truly run it.

Yes, Goran Dragic could get to the rim occasionally and throw up a lob pass.

Yes, Kendrick Nunn could pull-up at the elbow in space for a mid-range jumper.

Yes, Tyler Herro could stop and pop at the three-point line when defenses went under the screen.

And yes, Jimmy Butler could make the right read to feed the popping shooter, diving roller, or make the skip pass to the corner.

But the issue is that they didn’t have a guy who can do all of those things. Spoiler alert: Damian Lillard can.

The Heat’s current personnel consists of a bunch of guys who do one or two things really good, but nobody expresses the whole package. For one, nobody on the Heat’s roster is getting blitzed in this type of fashion, from the clip above, out of a double drag. That type of attention, combined with exceptional patience, leads to a good look from three.

When I was asked about Miami’s biggest needs this off-season, I didn’t have a big in the top two. Half-court shot creator and point guard were above that on my list, and Lillard fits both of those labels quite perfectly.

Butler/Lillard PnR = Good Things

Not to over-emphasize the Dragic element, but it’s necessary with the amount of weight he had on his shoulders this season as the ball-handler. Looking back on it, it wasn’t ideal that one of Miami’s best actions late in games was Butler/Dragic PnR’s, both regular and inverted.

It just worked. Butler trusted Dragic in those spots, and it allows Butler to get downhill on the angled screen while Dragic pops out to the top of the key. It was simple.

But look at the clip above, when Miami was facing a not-so-good Chicago Bulls team earlier in the season. Butler trying to create offense without a screen. Didn’t work. Dragic flowing into a pick and roll with Bam Adebayo. Didn’t work.

This was the way Miami was trending all season, and it’s honestly crazy that many of us thought this would all go away by playoff time.

To that point, a Lillard-Butler combo at the end of games would be a hard one to stop with Erik Spoelstra scheming stuff for them. The only equivalent set we saw to this was the screen and rolls with Duncan Robinson, since defenses had to make a choice to recover on Butler or fly out at Robinson.

The difference is that Robinson can’t really put the ball on the floor, and it got taken away pretty quickly. As we all know, talking about running sets for Lillard down the stretch may seem foolish, due to the fact there’s nobody better than putting the ball in the basket when the team needs it most.

And that exact description is what Butler needs. He’s not a primary scorer, and that type of play is not trending upward as he continues throughout his career. He needs to be the situational scorer and primary facilitator who takes care of business on the defensive end. The Lillard example may be a bit extreme, but any high level scorer can take that role on this roster.

Able to Play Off the Ball

A major theme when looking at ways the Heat could use Lillard is that Erik Spoelstra would have a field day with him. He has had guys who vanish when being stuck off the ball, while others aren’t able to be on-ball threats.

We all know what category Lillard lands in, but I believe the most underrated element about him is his work off the ball. That was a sticking point from his match-up with the Heat on the night of the trade deadline.

He gets a wide open layup on this play after the pass and sprint off the screen. That’s the Heat’s offense, but I just don’t think they had as much flexibility to do so as they did in past years. With the inability to locate offense without a screen, defenses were almost predicting it, meaning they didn’t get anything close to this much space around the rim on these actions.

Lillard obviously changes that completely. I’m not sure how the rest of the lineup would look if this did occur, emphasis on if, but this would be able to eliminate any type of offensive spacing issues that occurred in the first round against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Spo didn’t have many options this time around except the awaiting emergence from Adebayo, but this move makes those options close to limitless.

Speaking of off-ball stuff, Lillard in this offense does not eliminate Butler’s effectiveness at all, it actually increases it. On this play, he positions himself on the wing as the focus is on the high PnR, leading to a catch and shoot three, which he finds himself doing a lot.

Now, go re-watch the play again and imagine that CJ McCollum is Jimmy Butler. We all know the gravity that Butler holds when moving downhill, and it leaves defenses with having to pick their poison. You may be thinking, doesn’t Robinson do that for them already? Yes, but once again, the ability to put the ball on the floor or shoot off the dribble when they fly out is a completely different ball game.

Although I called this the “Off the Ball” section, it can also be named “Erik Spoelstra’s playground.”

Oh, a Scorer in Space

Heat fans may not be very familiar with this type of offensive play, but take a look at Lillard scoring in space with ease. Many may think that a screener is mandatory when a guard is surveying the floor at the top of the key, but well, it’s not. And that type of play just isn’t ideal.

Slight hesitation, drive, contact, bucket. That’s what the Heat need. That’s what Spo needs. That’s what Jimmy needs.

This piece may consist of stating the obvious or diving into plays a little deeper, but the truth is that it’s not very complex. Anybody can use a Damian Lillard, but it’s actually the exact player build the Heat have been looking for.

As described in the beginning of this article, the idea of that happening may be a long shot. He’s very loyal to his city and team, while he seems content with the notion that he’ll win a championship in Portland. But if that first step I pointed out comes along, which is him expressing a want to leave, I’d expect Pat Riley and company to be ringing that phone line off the hook.

Once again, we’re speaking about the unknown, which is the exact description of the NBA off-season most of the time. But the one thing that is known in this topic is that he’s the perfect fix to their offensive struggles at the moment, since frankly, every NBA team is a Damian Lillard away from a championship.

Who Does Pat Riley Consider the Core and How Will They Be Maximized?

/0 Comments/in , /by

Pat Riley had his post-season presser this afternoon, which can be discussed from a hundred different angles. But I’m going to discuss the thing that stuck out most from this 45 minutes discussion: their core.

We heard that word spread out throughout the press conference, which is something that is pretty obvious to people that pay attention to this Heat team. They are confident in their top two players, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, but they need to fulfill that core and surround them as best as they can.

But, is there more to that current Heat “core?”

Riley seemed to think so, as he was asked about Tyler Herro’s down year and late-season slump, he responded, “He’s a core player. That’s all there is to it.”

There are always certain guys that Riley talks about with a certain energy and it’s not just saying what you want to hear. He did that with Herro today.

Of course that doesn’t mean that he wouldn’t be included in a trade if the right deal came along, but he seems to like their young prospect and the trajectory that he is on.

Other than Herro being included in the core, another interesting point was made about a certain someone in that core, Adebayo. When asked about Adebayo increasing his aggression, he shifted his answer saying, “I think Spo has to evaluate a bit how he uses Bam. Bam is one of our primary ball-handlers, gets us in offense and sometimes there is a disconnect between running offense and really being effective as an offensive player.”

That just furthers the discussion that we’ve had over the last few months. Yes, Adebayo is an incredible passer and the offense is based around that play-making, but when backs are against the wall, your star must have the ball in his hands with a scoring mentality. He followed that statement with: “I think all of these things will be worked out.”

This may be the core at the moment, but it’s far from a finished project. He ended the presser saying, “There will be a lot more news coming along the way.” They know that they’re going to be active in all avenues within free agency, sign and trades, and even the draft, since he mentioned: “I can guarantee I’ll probably get a couple good players out of this draft somehow.”

We will see what happens over the next few weeks, but Riley seems fairly confident in their current spotting and current core, so it should make for an interesting off-season.

Loading
Loading...

How Has KZ Okpala Progressed Over Time?

/0 Comments/in , /by

After diving into Precious Achiuwa in the first piece of this new series, it’s necessary to follow that up with another young Miami Heat prospect, and asset, KZ Okpala.

Many people’s expectations were high coming into the season regarding Okpala, mostly due to the known fact that Miami was so high on him in the draft, that they would’ve selected him with their lottery pick if Tyler Herro was already taken. That statement raises a player’s perception, and well, here we are heading into his third season and he’s yet to have a consistent role.

The circumstances feed into this a bit, since as I’ve reiterated many times, the lack of a full off-season and Summer League impacted him majorly. Something I’ll dive a little deeper into down the line is that there’s only one thing that can lead to an evolving Okpala: playing time. This team is in win now mode which makes things slightly difficult, but spot minutes just won’t cut it for a guy with that type of play-style.

The hope is that this year’s Summer League can propel that development a bit, but only time will tell.

Anyway, let’s take a look back at some of Okpala’s moments this season, highlighting his immediate strengths and the improvements that will majorly need to follow quickly…

Strengths:

Good Length = Good Defense

No surprise here: KZ Okpala’s strengths begin with some defensive notations. The first thing that jumps off the screen when going back and watching his possessions on that end of the floor is his length. He thrived in the 2-2-1 press and 2-3 zone, since he has an ability to muck up passing lanes time and time again.

Speaking of the press, this clip shows Okpala recovering on the broken down press and swatting away the floater, since well, he’s very active and knows how to utilize his lengthy wingspan. The issue is that it sometimes gets him in trouble, which I will discuss in the weakness section.

The thing about this quality is that it screams potential. As much as we will connect Okpala and the word inexperience throughout this piece, that is something that just can’t be taught.

The reason that I don’t like highlighting this element too much, is that many people use it to the extent that it negates his other abilities on defense, which is why I will point that out now…

Length Isn’t His Only Defensive Tool

His defensive success does not solely derive from a good physical frame. When I wanted to showcase this in this article, I said to myself, “When was this ability showcased most this season?” And well, this Brooklyn game sums it up perfectly.

There weren’t many games in the regular season that the Brooklyn Nets’ big 3 all played on the same night, but they did when Okpala was filling in for Jimmy Butler in the starting lineup. Erik Spoelstra always discusses throwing players in the fire, and that’s exactly what this was for him.

Switching from one of the league’s best scorers ever, onto one of the league’s best ball-handlers ever, while sprinkling in some time on Kevin Durant who is just a freak of nature. And yet, he held his own throughout this game.

The first thing that stands out here on this play is defensive IQ, even though at times his defensive decision making becomes a real downfall. He stays locked in on James Harden, not wanting to switch onto a rolling Jeff Green. He recovers and flows into a switch onto Kyrie Irving, doing a great job of stay complacent before the jumper, leading to a brick off the rim.

It’s not all about the length with him, since his foot speed and lateral quickness on that end of the floor is a real gift. He just needs some things polished up, and once again, floor time is the only thing that will do it.

Freedom Off the Dribble

Now, the final strength that stood out from this season occurred on the offensive end. Much like Achiuwa, he would just try to do the right things whenever he got out on the floor, meaning he played tense and not to his absolute ability.

But he also had flashes like this, where he would showcase his ability to get downhill, which was quite impressive. Trust me, this wasn’t the only moment. There were so many plays this season where he would put his head down and allow his skill-set to take control and it led to some great things. His offensive package is not broad, but he does have a very promising off the dribble attribute that can very well be expanded.

For one, he covers an unbelievable amount of ground when he attacks, since his long strides and slow pace around the rim lead to an unorthodox, yet effective, combination. Mentioning the phrase “slow pace” may seem a bit odd when referring to Okpala, since the young and inexperienced label always equals fast pace and out of control.

The thing is that he is out of control in many spots, well, except when he is going to the rim. That’s because it’s a comfort area, and he hasn’t been in many well fitted spots this season, which I’ll dive into down the line.

Weaknesses:

Over Aggression Leads to Over Fouling

The weakness section with these young guys is very important due to it being the beginning of the off-season. The goal is to come back around by training camp with these few things polished up a bit, and let’s start it off with his only defensive downfall.

This two play sequence is not the only time foul trouble has been an issue for Okpala. In his second season, he recorded more personal fouls than assists, turnovers, steals, and blocks combined.

Yeah, that’s something that must be cleaned up.

The reasoning for that is he takes pride on that end of the floor, and wants to create opportunities in transition. To that point, he has been overly aggressive on defense every chance that he’s gotten, reaching in at the wrong time, falling for pump-fakes rather easily, and getting off his feet no matter the circumstance.

As mentioned earlier, his potential on that end of the floor is unreal, but that one element is currently holding him back from being fully effective. That’s something that is instilled into him, which is why it’ll be interesting to see how he chooses to alter it.

Not Looking at the Rim

The side to side browsing with the ball in hand is a discussion that I’ve had about Bam Adebayo a little too much throughout the season. Only this instance is not the same as that.

Many want Adebayo to takeoff as a scorer, but the reason he’s doing it is that his play-making is so elite that he tries to get others in their spots. Okpala’s reasoning is just going through the motions a bit to get the ball out of his hands.

This play above ended in a good result after he handed it off to Gabe Vincent, but that’s not important. The essential part to note is that this trot through the middle of the floor became a normal occurrence when he got out on the court this season, and that just can’t be the case.

These inadvertent movements led to awful spacing at many points this year, which makes it so hard to play him next to other guys such as Precious Achiuwa or Andre Iguodala, since the opposing team just doubles ball-handlers the entire time.

It’s another moment that we will refer back to comfort, due to these non-aggressive examples just show that his play-style wasn’t translating to the offense. Or was he just not being put into the right spots?

His Role

This point isn’t as much on Okpala as it is on the team. His offensive role basically became corner spacer as the season progressed, which is less than ideal. Yes, he can make the occasional three, but that is not where he will thrive in the short term or the long term.

Combine that thought process with a guy who is not shy about taking those shots whenever he’s out there and you have a complete mess. He had some moments where the shots were falling, but there just weren’t many that make you think that’s where he should be placed.

As stated earlier, he has shown an outstanding ability to get to the rim whenever he is confident and in a rhythm, which makes me think he will be placed into that role in Summer League purposely, so he can shift back into the team space cleanly.

What’s Next?

The interesting part about KZ Okpala is that the question, “What’s next,” is very well unknown. The term unknown is a perfect description of Okpala in his first two season with the team. After his rookie year, many were awaiting a breakout sophomore season that clearly never really occurred. Now that mindset seems to be carrying over to year three.

As I’ve been saying, this Summer League experience will be absolutely crucial for his future in this league. The reason I said “in this league” and not “with the Heat” is due to him being an asset that could be used at any moment. We saw at the trade deadline that teams perceive Okpala as a very enticing young prospect, while Miami seems to be searching for win now guys.

When I asked Okpala about his biggest focus this off-season to improve on, excluding polishing up his all-around game, he still decided to say that his whole package will be the focus. Although that may seem a bit unrealistic, I believe that is the exact thing he will need to do moving forward.

I believe he is still trying to find himself as a player, which means diving into every facet of his game is necessary. These next few months will be some of the most important of Okpala’s young career, and only time will tell how he decides to utilize them.

 

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

Evaluating Precious Achiuwa’s Game in the Past, Present, and Future

/0 Comments/in , /by

We’re starting up a new article series to kick off the off-season.

With plenty of time to look forward into free agency, first off we must discuss this past roster, evaluating the season’s that each player had, while also addressing the next step, or even the next team, of each individual.

So, let’s make our way up the roster, starting with a guy who just wrapped up his rookie season, Precious Achiuwa.

It’s been quite the introduction to the league for Achiuwa, joining a team that he was previously rooting for while they were going toe to toe in the NBA finals against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers. No true off-season, no Summer League, no normality.

That’s just been the motto of everybody throughout this unique season. Not only did Achiuwa have to get through all of that, but then he was forced to back-up one of the league’s most promising young big men, Bam Adebayo.

A bench role is not something Achiuwa has ever had. Not in middle school, not in travel ball, not in high school, not in college. But he was forced to adjust rather quickly.

He had some good moments, but ultimately the inexperience was shining through with the team’s hopes of making a playoff run. The addition of some veterans left Achiuwa observing from the sideline, and well, these few months may be the most important part of his young career.

So, let’s hop right into those highs and lows from his rookie year…

Strengths:

Above the Rim Roller 

It’s important to start off with Achiuwa’s most known offensive skill, and truthfully, one that I didn’t expect to become effective this soon.

This play above was the final basket from the Miami Heat’s season, meaning many Heat fans may have already changed the channel after a disappointing loss that completed the sweep by the Milwaukee Bucks. But take a look back at this possession for a second, since even though it didn’t hold high importance, it shows a flash for the future of Achiuwa.

Once again, Achiuwa hasn’t been used much up to this point of the playoffs, which is why a key component of a player’s mindset is their IQ of plays no matter if there is only 20 seconds left on the clock before elimination.

He sets the off-ball screen, resets and receives the ball for a DHO and screen back in that direction. He dives quickly and receives the ball in motion to throw it down. He’s had plenty of these sequences this season where he’d throw down a lob, but none of them looked this polished.

There always seemed to be a minor error, either in the ball screen or the pivot into the dive, which frankly is normal for a rookie. The thing is that some time on the sideline, and most likely more time in the film room, has already prepared him for a hopeful leap this off-season.

His rolling ability was noticed as soon as he hit the hardwood back in December, but he never seemed to have the pacing down. And the more reps that he’s gotten, the more the pacing is slowed down. If he rounds out some others parts of his offensive game, this base leads to a very intriguing prospect moving forward.

Battling on the Offensive Boards

Achiuwa is not your traditional center. He’s also not your traditional stretch big. Although he lacks a ton of size and range, one thing that you know you’re getting with him is constant fight on the offensive boards.

The efficiency stat may look a little weird at times for a guy who doesn’t shoot from the outside, but that’s because of second efforts. He may miss the first or second tip in around the basket, but there’s always that feeling that he’s going to get it in there somehow with the way he fights.

Something he will need to be a bit smarter with on those plays is just securing the ball and resetting offense. There were plenty of instances where he would basically try and score until the other team had possession. That can’t be the case, but also, these are rookie examples.

The next, and final, strength basically ties into this, since I believe that type of play is just in him, and won’t go anywhere. Looking back to high school, ESPN’s Paul Biancardi, who watched him from junior year on, told me that the two things that have stuck out to him most over the years, were energy and rebounding.

And well, those two things go hand in hand when looking at the clip above. He takes the contact, lands, and immediately explodes back up for the tip-in in traffic.

And well, speaking of exploding….

Explosiveness 

Another thing ESPN’s Biancardi told me before the season about Achiuwa, is that he is an incredible athlete. We got an introduction to that at times with the high bounce off the short roll, but take this play above as an example.

Yeah, he may not have been able to throw it down, but there are only a few players that are capable of putting themselves in a position to possibly catch a body in that regard. As that possession showed, there is no doubt in my mind that he has quite the explosiveness attached to his offensive game.

The reason that it’s essential is not just because of possibly making the SportsCenter top 10, as seen here, but more importantly, the way it opens up his game once he has an entire offensive package in his sophmore season.

There are times when that explosive fire is great, but well, there are also times when it’s his biggest downfall…

Weaknesses:

Transition Control

Once again, when pointing out weaknesses in rookies, the same takeaway occurs: uncomfort, inexperience, and too fast.

This clip here is not a one time occasion for Achiuwa, since it was a recurring theme whenever he had a chance to get out on the floor. It mostly occurred in these small stretches at the end of games, which makes sense since he’s trying to use his time wisely to make plays and prove himself.

The issue is that doesn’t wow coaches at these points of the game. What actually wows them is smart basketball, slow paced sets, and a polished game-plan, which is exactly what we saw in that first clip from the final possession of game 4 in the post-season.

The upcoming events this off-season will be crucial for him to get some reps as a player that can go all game playing under control, especially knowing that the ball must find your ball-handlers in transition. The Heat coaching staff wants to see Adebayo-like finesse on the break, instead of Derrick Henry trucks as we’ve seen throughout the year.

Free Throw Shooting

This weakness is one that many are aware of in the coaching staff, as well as Achiuwa himself. 110 free throw attempts this season, while only making 56 of them. A 51% free throw shooter just won’t cut it at the big man position, especially when evaluating the upcoming leaps in his game.

When players have free throw shooting issues, it’s either they’re incapable and uncomfortable of shooting the ball in general, or it’s a mental game. For Achiuwa, it’s the latter, since he’s proved to have some soft touch whenever he gets to his spots without thinking.

That’s something I’ve discussed about Adebayo, who is a great free throw shooter, but he shoots best when he isn’t reluctant and doesn’t overthink it. Same goes for Achiuwa.

This is not a mechanical issue whatsoever, since he’s been able to knock down free throw after free throw in practices before. If he can overcome that mental obstacle, which isn’t an easy thing to hurdle over, that’s yet another expansion that can be made for his offensive game.

Passing

When the Heat drafted Achiuwa, they envisioned a guy that can mirror some of the things their starting center, Adebayo, can do, instead of the traditional big that they always go away from but find themselves back with eventually.

There was only one issue to that comparison to Adebayo: he doesn’t have anything close to the passing gift.

For one, it’s not normal for bigs to be able to pass like Nikola Jokic or Adebayo, so holding young guys to that standard is unfair. But yet, average as a passer is a good bar for him to set at this period of time.

This clip shows that he doesn’t have great touch or timing on passes for cutters, but that’s not even the biggest instance that stuck out. A team that heavily based themselves around dribble hand-offs needs to have a center that can hand it off, but that was an issue early on.

I’ve mentioned the word comfort a few times, and that was an area that he showed zero comfort with early in the season. To push this back into a positive direction, go back and watch that first clip I inserted earlier of that final possession. A nice looking hand-off led to that dunk off the lob, and that’ll be necessary if he envisions himself getting major playing time in the near future.

What’s Next?

Now, the “what’s next” feature in this series can touch on a variety of things. It could be the next part for a player in free agency, the next improvement, among other things.

Clearly, Achiuwa is one of the few players under contract for next season, meaning we don’t need to discuss that. It can be mentioned that he has some potential that many teams are aware of, so if a trade is made during the off-season to improve this team, he could very well be included in that type of deal to get it done.

Other than that, what is next for Achiuwa is the continued development and growth of his game. This will be a busy Summer for him, as he could get plenty of playing time if he chooses to play for Nigeria in Tokyo, and then Summer League down the line in August.

When Achiuwa talked about the part of his game that he will focus on this off-season, he responded, “My jump shot is gonna be a big emphasis this summer.”

I always say that it’s more important to make the things you’re good at great than to expand range, but I feel like there’s an exception for him. As stated earlier, he’s an undersized big, and I think he realizes that his biggest chance to be successful in this league will be to develop that Adebayo mid-range as quickly as possible.

And yet, there will be a ton of stages to see that progression with him over the next few months, so it’s definitely something to keep an eye on.

Many are discussing the possible additions of a big in free agency, while the expectation is that Dewayne Dedmon will return. But don’t forget about the second year version of Achiuwa, since the positive signs he showed in his rookie campaign can very well carry over. And Coach Spo will not be shy to throw him into the fire once again.