Tag Archive for: Miami Heat

5 Takeaways from Miami’s Christmas Day Win

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The Miami Heat got to kick off a display of Christmas Day games against the New Orleans Pelicans, and got the win 111-98, after their fair share of ups and downs. Miami wanted to make it a priority to clean up their defensive issues, which they did, but the offense continued to show some struggles. Either way, here are five takeaways from the game….

#1: Duncan Robinson sparks Heat run, after hitting the occasional three.

It’s no surprise that Duncan Robinson can shoot the ball at an elite level, and that continued today. He knocked down 6 threes in the first half on 75% shooting, but what that led to was what stood out. Miami couldn’t get in a rhythm in the first quarter, but Duncan set the tone. And after he began to hit three after three, it was clear the entire offense would open up. And it did. He was in a lineup with the rest of the bench unit, which I will discuss next, and it allowed Goran Dragic and others to thrive. That is why the word gravity always surfaces when talking about Duncan, since he has so much control over the opposing defense.

#2: Miami’s bench looks impressive, both on defense and offense.

There’s a reason that depth has been discussed so much with this team heading into the season, and that’s because there are a few reserves who can be starters. The starters did not have it going offensively early, but once Goran Dragic and company came in, they took control. Goran obviously played a huge role, which I will discuss next, but others showed out too. For one, Precious Achiuwa still seemed to look more comfortable than most of the guys on the floor for Miami. Avery Bradley and Andre Iguodala also looked impressive on the defensive end, since they were causing havoc on the perimeter all game when on the floor together. I feel we will always discuss Goran and Precious, but Andre and Avery will be a big part of this team going forward.

#3: Goran Dragic puts on yet another offensive display.

Now to Goran Dragic individually. The dude is 34 years old and playing like he is 24. As I explained after the season opener, he comes right in and controls the pace of the game. And with a roster full of youth, that is much needed. He looked good scoring the ball again, but looked even better as a distributor, dishing out 6 first half assists. It’s already known that Goran holds major value on this team, but I don’t think many expected him to continue his elite bubble play into the start of the season. This team needs a veteran like Goran who can take over for the team when Butler isn’t on the floor, and that’s exactly what he did.

#4: Tyler Herro’s struggles have to do with role change.

Tyler Herro seemed to struggle early in the game once again, but I don’t think people should begin to worry. He told media in his press conference yesterday that the issues aren’t point guard vs shooting guard, but instead starting role vs bench role. It’s not easy to adjust from a spark into a guy that needs to set the tone, which is why it’ll take some games for him to get back into a rhythm. And as I’ve discussed, it needs to be remembered first and foremost that he’s a pure scorer, and the passing will come after he gets going. A lot of times he seemed reluctant to shoot, which pretty much altered many jumpers. He’s a guy that plays off of confidence, and that needs to continue. Tyler will be just fine after he gets acclimated with his role, but for now it’s time to learn.

#5: Life without Jimmy Butler changes some things.

Jimmy Butler did not come back out onto the floor after halftime, since he had some right ankle stiffness. His first half stats included 4 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists, but his time out further proved the impact that he holds on this team. I think everybody is aware of the role he plays on defense, but he truly controls the offense just with his presence. For one, his ability to put his head down and attack allows the shooters to get the spacing they need. And since there were some ball-handling issues when Goran Dragic was off the floor, it’s obvious that had a lot to do with Jimmy not being out there. Miami had to play a different type of game after Jimmy Butler went out, which means adjustments were made by Spo in that second half. Jimmy’s impact on this team is known, but it needs to be appreciated.

Precious Achiuwa’s Impressive Season Opener Speaks Volume

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The major takeaway from Miami’s season opening loss to the Orlando Magic was Precious Achiuwa. I don’t think many expected him to get decent minutes this season due to the absence of Summer League and not playing since February, but well, that changed last night.

Not only did Precious get minutes, but he made a huge impact. One thing that was expected for rookies this season is that it will take time for them to get comfortable at the NBA level. And Precious got thrown right into the fire and thrived.

The one part of his game that I’ve mentioned frequently is his quick learning. Every single time he steps onto the floor, he improves on his issues from the game prior. And that is very impressive.

He also has been known to be a major problem on the boards, especially on the offensive side, and he proved that once again. Effort has continually been the word tied to him, and his will on both sides forced major frustration on Orlando’s bigs.

8 points and 3 rebounds does not explain what he did last night in his first regular season game. The Miami Heat were struggling on both ends of the floor, and Precious was the only player that seemed comfortable enough to make an impact, other than veteran Goran Dragic.

A lot of guys were out of control which caused a turnover issue, but that wasn’t the case for Achiuwa. He truly knows how to play the role that he is given without straying off, and that’s another great attribute to have.

Heading into the draft, I continually mentioned Miami would be looking for a guy to make immediate impact on this team. And well, they found their guy.

It seems as if he will continue to increase his floor time if he plays the way he did last night, since it’s essential to have somebody that can reiterate the things Bam Adebayo does on the floor.

Spo found another young gem that he can put his trust in, which makes this roster more and more intriguing.

5 Takeaways from Miami Heat’s Season Opener

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The Miami Heat kicked off their season against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night, and it was pretty much filled with surprises. The main surprise was that Miami didn’t play like the team that was just in the NBA finals, losing 113-107, but that doesn’t mean there should be immediate overreaction. Anyway, here are five takeaways from the game…

#1: Offensive sloppiness looks to be problematic.

It’s no surprise that turnovers are the first takeaway from this game, especially from Miami’s starters. They had 12 turnovers at the half, with the starting unit being in a rush offensively in the first quarter. That may have something to do with Tyler Herro running the point, since he’s not a traditional one, but that will improve as the season progresses. Goran Dragic though, which will be explained in a bit, settled Miami down and took control of the offense. Tyler isn’t the only one to blame, since Jimmy and Bam showed some sloppiness as well. But this should be expected in a season opener, and if they continue to slow down the offense early in games, it will be very beneficial to their play.

#2: Precious Achiuwa gets surprising minutes off the bench.

Even though I mentioned that I wouldn’t be shocked if Coach Spo threw Precious Achiuwa in the game off of the bench tonight, I definitely didn’t expect to have him being one of my takeaways from a season opener. But well, he is. There were a couple things that have been mentioned when discussing Precious Achiuwa. For one, he can be utilized on this team to reiterate many of the things Bam does on the floor, which he showed he can do. And secondly, it’s been said over and over that he has great touch around the rim, and that was clear as well. The lob connection he has found with Goran Dragic has been obvious, but even an impressive drive at the end of the shot clock showcased some more of his flashes. Coach Spo inserting him in the game to begin the season, after the absence of Summer League, should tell you all you need to know about the future of Precious Achiuwa with this team.

#3: Goran Dragic continues to be Miami’s steady piece.

It would be wrong not to mention Goran Dragic after this game, mostly since he was the main reason Miami was able to settle down early. After the starters continued to struggle offensively, as I mentioned previously, Goran came right into the game and picked up exactly where he left off. And that means he still was able to deliver when Miami was in a tough spot. His scoring ability is an obvious attribute, which he used early in the first half, but more importantly his ability to slow down the game is where he truly showed out. He has great feel for the game, which means he knows when to play both fast and slow, and tonight was the game to slow things down. Even with an aging Goran Dragic, it seems as if he isn’t slowing down anytime soon, and will continue to be a huge part of this Miami Heat team.

#4: Bam Adebayo’s offensive confidence seems to improve game by game.

Bam Adebayo’s scoring has been the thing people are waiting to emerge this season, specifically with his jumper. It’s never been about can he shoot the mid-range jumper, but instead will he shoot it. And tonight, we got the answer to that question. He came out in the first quarter with a purpose to initiate offense with the ball in his hands. And even though all of the shots weren’t falling for him, it’s a step in the right direction. The shots will begin to fall eventually, but it’ll come down to finding his spots that he’s most comfortable. And after watching him shoot it in both preseason games and tonight’s season opener, he seems at his best after the jab step. Either way, seeing Bam becoming more and more confident is a great sign for his progression going forward.

#5: Miami’s depth has been a point of emphasis, and rightfully so.

It seems as if it may have been getting old for a lot of people, when repeatedly hearing the Miami Heat’s depth being such a strength for this team. And well, I think that was on display tonight. For most of the game, the bench unit outplayed the starting lineup, mostly due to the fluid offense by limiting turnovers. That mostly falls under the two categories that I discussed before with Precious Achiuwa and Goran Dragic, but even others proved to be high value guys in a game like this. And we didn’t even see Avery Bradley or KZ Okpala, who are two guys that can easily help this team win basketball games right now. Coach Spo has an interesting task to deal with when talking about the rotation, but he’s got many options to choose from.

Tyler Herro’s Season Opener: A Quick Preview

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The Miami Heat begin their season tonight against the Orlando Magic, which is why I thought I’d discuss Tyler Herro in a basketball manner.

For the last few weeks, his name has only seemed to come up when discussing possible deals for James Harden, but now it’s time to think impact when hearing his name.

After a very unique rookie year, he will be starting his second season tonight, which is odd since it feels he has been in the league for like 4 years.

The reason I’m bringing up Tyler heading into this game is because he will look very different tonight then he did in the preseason. He played very good in both games, with limited minutes, but now the leap will be made.

He continues to show these flashes, but hitting the floor tonight with Jimmy Butler once again means we get to see a more polished Herro from the preseason.

This game tonight will be a quick preview of what we should expect for the rest of the season. Will we see a scoring mindset from Tyler tonight or an eagerness to show off his improved point guard skills?

Well, there’s a chance we may see both, but ultimately the passing will come after the scoring gets going. Although Bam Adebayo is the entire offense, the keys will be handed to Tyler Herro for him to do what he does best: Put the ball in the bucket.

And as I’ve mentioned with Jimmy and Bam in the past, Butler will be in Tyler’s ear to continue to shoot and attack as much as possible.

Coach Spo won’t be afraid to utilize him in a bunch of lineups tonight, but one of them will most likely be in the starting lineup at the point guard position.

Tyler Herro is a very intriguing name heading into the season, mostly since it doesn’t seem like he will be hitting a wall anytime soon with the amount of confidence he has. And the work he has put in behind the scenes will be on full display tonight, once again, as a preview of the future.

Heat trade

5 Most Important Trade Days in Heat History

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The Miami Heat have never been shy about pulling the trigger on a big trade. Throughout franchise history, the Heat have targeted and secured some of the most important and talented players in the league. These days, trade rumors link the Heat to James Harden, an eight-time All-Star, three-time scoring champ and one-time league MVP.

Although recent reports indicate talks between the Heat and Houston may have stalled, Miami may pounce at any time. The Heat have a long history of trading for disgruntled stars in their prime. For Miami, it’s a matter of leverage, and rarely have the Heat lost this type of trade.

Blockbuster deals litter Miami’s history and each has seen the franchise vault into championship contention. Here’s a look at the five most important trade days in Heat history.

Heat Trade History: November 7, 1994

Arguably the most consequential trade in Miami Heat history came on November 7, 1994. On this date, the Heat dealt a young, future All-Star, Steve Smith, and a franchise cornerstone, Grant Long, with a 1996 second-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks for All-Star forward Kevin Willis and a 1996 first-round pick.

The Heat were coming off their first winning season and second playoff berth. They sported a talented young core and seemed to be on the rise in the Eastern Conference. But things soured with managing partners Lewis Schaffel and Billy Cunningham as the two embarked on a sudden roster retooling.

They traded Rony Seikaly to Golden State for Sasha Danilović and Billy Owens on November 2nd, then followed that with the Willis deal.

“I think there’s not one person in this world that has had any relationship with Lewis Schaffel that has continued to stay friends with Lewis,” Seikaly said after the trade.

Smith, then 25, was coming off a 17.3 points-, 5.1 assists- and 4.5 rebounds-per-game season and a summer appearance with “Dream Team II.” Smith criticized the Seikaly trade, only to find himself shipped off two games into the season.

This would be the last trade Schaffel and Cunningham would make for Miami.

The ’94-95 Heat flopped and the two would sell their club interest to franchise patriarch Ted Arison’s son, Micky, before the season even ended.

As the new managing partner, Arison hired Dave Wohl as GM. Wohl fired head coach Kevin Loughery and replaced him with Alvin Gentry on an interim basis to try to shake up the 17–30 Heat.

Heat fans may barely remember Willis’ tenure with the club. He averaged 14.2 points and 10 rebounds-per-game over parts of two seasons before being dealt away.

But this is one of the most important trades in Heat history because not only did it lead to Micky Arison acquiring controlling interest in the club, it also directly led to two other integral moves.

Enter Pat Riley

Following a disappointing ’94-95 season, new Heat management sought to reshape the franchise and looked to bring in Pat Riley. The former New York Knicks head coach had suddenly resigned after the ’94-95 season, reportedly rejecting a five-year, $15 million contract extension to stay in the Big Apple. Riley had one year left on his deal, but sought more control of the roster in New York, something team president Dave Checketts and GM Ernie Grunfeld weren’t willing to cede.

Riley reportedly negotiated a $40 million deal that included a 10 percent ownership stake with Micky Arison secretly. As a result, tampering charges were filed and the Heat were forced to surrender $1 million and a first-round pick to the Knicks.

The pick they sent? The one they’d landed in the Willis deal, Atlanta’s 1996 first round pick.

The “trade” officially posted on September 1, 1995, then Riley came on board in Miami. The city celebrated his arrival with a parade and shortly thereafter, Riley remolded the roster in his own image.

The Knicks, meanwhile, selected Walter McCarty with the No. 19 overall pick in 1996. McCarty played one season in New York, 35 games, averaging 1.8 points-per-game. He was traded to Boston ahead of the ’97-98 season. He played 10 seasons in the NBA, mostly as a reserve, and averaged 5.2 points and 2.6 rebounds-per-game for his career.

Heat Trade History: November 3, 1995

Pat Riley entered his Heat tenure aiming to make Miami a contender. So he did, for the first time, what would become his pattern: Riley targeted a disgruntled All-Star in his prime.

Alonzo Mourning had rejected a seven-year, $70 million contract extension in Charlotte earlier that offseason and things seemed destined for a breakup with the Hornets. Mourning reportedly wanted $13 million-per-year, but Charlotte couldn’t afford that after signing forward Larry Johnson to a 12-year, $84 million contract extension in 1993. (That deal made Johnson the richest athlete in the history of team sports at that point in time, and Zo wanted more.)

Riley identified Mourning as the centerpiece for his rebuild, a player in the mold of Patrick Ewing, his center in New York. Mourning came to Miami as a two-time All-Star and a someone who’d averaged over 21 points, 10 rebound and three blocks-per-game. So he flipped the final piece of Miami’s initial young core for the future Hall-of-Famer.

On November 3, 1995, the Heat sent Glen Rice, Matt Geiger, Khalid Reeves and a 1996 first-round pick to Charlotte for Mourning, Pete Myers and LeRon Ellis. Mourning immediately agreed to a four-year, $44 million contract extension and the rest is history.

Rice, meanwhile, left Miami as the franchise leader in points and games played. He’d won Miami’s first 3-Point Shootout crown the year prior and remained on an upward trajectory. Rice would go on to be a three-time All-Star for the Hornets and a two-time All-NBA performer. Rice would win a championship before Mourning, getting his lone title as part of the 2000 LA Lakers squad.

Deadline Day, 1996

Zo needed a running mate and Riley found him one later in that first season with Miami. On deadline day in 1996, Riley and the Heat made three separate trades to bolster the roster. The biggest deal landed Miami Tim Hardaway and Chris Gatling from Golden State for Bimbo Coles and Kevin Willis.

The Heat had started that season well, going 11-3 through the first 14 games. But they languished after that, heading into the deadline at 24-29. Riley then reached for another disgruntled star Hardaway. He also landed veterans Gatling, as well as Tyrone Corbin, Tony Smith and Walt Williams in separate deals.

With a depleted roster after the deadline, the Heat faced Michael Jordan and the (eventual) 72-10 Chicago Bulls with just nine active players. The Heat upset Chicago 113-104 in what marked most memorable victory in franchise history at that time. Rex Chapman led the Heat that night, going for 39 points including 9-of-10 shooting from three.

Hardaway arrived soon thereafter and promised Mourning a playoff berth. He and Zo turned the season around and helped Miami make its third playoff appearance. The two would develop into one of the most potent tandems in the league and helped get the Heat to the top of the Eastern Conference over the next several seasons.

Heat Trade History: July 14, 2004

The course of Miami Heat history would change trajectory again in July of 2004 when Riley set his sights on yet another disgruntled star. Shaquille O’Neal’s falling out with the Lakers led to Riley pouncing on the future Hall-of-Famer. O’Neal and Bryant’s relationship soured, and the Lakers elected to appease their bright young star instead of the aging big man in the wake of the 2004 NBA Finals loss to Detroit.

The Heat featured an intriguing young core led by Dwyane Wade and were coming off a Conference Semifinal appearance. Miami flipped much of that young core to get their hands on Shaq. The Heat sent Caron Butler, Brian Grant and Lamar Odom (three starters), plus a 2006 first-round pick and a 2007 second-round pick to LA for O’Neal.

This seemed like a steep price for a player many felt was on the back end of his prime. But this trade led directly to Miami’s first NBA Championship. O’Neal should have been the league MVP in 2004-05 and had Wade not injured his ribs, this group may have hoisted two titles.

Interestingly, the Heat reacquired Steve Smith and Alonzo Mourning that season as well. Smith would retire after the ’04-05 season, but Mourning stayed around to help the Heat win the title in ’06. That ’06 title team took shape after Riley engaged in the largest trade in NBA history, a five-team trade that saw Miami land James Posey, Antoine Walker and Jason Williams.

Heat Trade History: July 10, 2010

The Heat shocked the sports world in 2010 with the arrival of the Big 3. While most tab these moves free agent signings, the acquisitions of LeBron James and Chris Bosh were technically sign-and-trade deals.

For James, the Heat shipped out a 2013 first-round pick, a 2016 first-round pick, and second rounders in 2011 and 2012, as well as the rights to a pick-swap in 2012. Of those four draft picks, Milan Mačvan, Jae Crowder, Nemanja Nedović and Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot, only Crowder played for Cleveland, but that wasn’t until 2017, several years into his NBA career. Luwawu-Cabarrot pick, though, helped facilitate the Cavaliers trade for Kevin Love in 2014.

The Bosh deal featured a pair of 2011 first-round picks going to Toronto, one which the Heat eventually reacquired and one which originally belonged to the Raptors.

The pick that eventually became Jonas Valančiūnas, the 2011 fifth overall selection, landed in Miami as part of a deadline deal 2009. That trade saw the Heat ship Shawn Marion, Marcus Banks and cash to Toronto for Jermaine O’Neal, Jamario Moon, a 2011 first- and a 2010 second-round pick.

The pick that eventually became Norris Cole made its way through three other franchises before returning to Miami. The Heat sent to Toronto in the Bosh sign-and-trade, then the Raptors sent it to Chicago for future Heat player James Johnson in February of 2011. The Bulls picked Cole in 2011, then traded him to Minnesota with Malcolm Lee for Nikola Mirotić.

The Heat acquired Cole from Minnesota on draft night in 2011. Miami picked Bojan Bogdanović with the No. 31 overall pick (second round) and used that to land Cole. Interestingly, the Heat had the choice of Cole or Jimmy Butler at that point in 2011.

The Big 3 Era Pays Off

The Heat floundered in the wake of their 2006 championship. O’Neal’s relationship in Miami deteriorated and saw the big man moved to Phoenix in a trade. Riley retooled the roster around Wade and O’Neal but never found the right combination before trading Shaq away in 2008.

The pieces he landed in that deal were Marion and Banks. Those two were integral in later trades for Jermaine O’Neal and the 2011 first-rounder which helped facilitate the Bosh sign-and-trade.

The Heat won two NBA titles and made four straight Finals appearances before seeing James walk in free agency. It took some time, but the lean years post-Big 3 era led to another interesting young core. Riley then used it as trade assets yet again.

Heat Trade History: July 6, 2019

The Miami Heat’s long history of targeting disgruntled stars led to the trade acquisition of another such All-Star in July of 2019. After engaging the Minnesota Timberwolves in trade talks for Jimmy Butler in 2018, the Heat got their man nearly a year later in a four-team deal with Philadelphia, Portland and the LA Clippers.

The Heat shipped off their own malcontent in Hassan Whiteside to the Blazers and Josh Richardson to the 76ers. They also sent a 2023 first-round pick to the Clippers to help facilitate the deal. In return, Miami landed Butler and Meyers Leonard. Also involved in that deal was current Heat forward Maurice Harkless, who almost came to Miami then but went from Portland to the Clippers instead.

On that same day, the Heat sent three future second-round picks (2022, 2025 and 2026) to Indiana as part of a three-team trade. The Pacers landed TJ Warren from Phoenix, while Miami received KZ Okpala from the Suns.

This trade helped solidify the young core in Miami and the Heat went on to a surprise NBA Finals run in 2020. Led by Butler, the Heat won the Eastern Conference Championship and took the LA Lakers to six games in the Finals.

There’s no telling when the next big trade will happen. But if there’s a disgruntled star out there, rest assured that Pat Riley will be engaged in trade talks. And if the Godfather is involved, the outcome always comes out in Miami’s favor.

Andre Iguodala: The Key Piece for this Season

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The one word that seems to describe this Heat team heading into the season is depth.

When going down the line, many begin to pick out the youth at the end of the roster, but there’s plenty of veterans as well.

The one player that will hold major importance this season is Andre Iguodala. For starters, the departure of Jae Crowder made this evident automatically, since losing a quality wing with size could be troublesome.

To that point, that’s a main reason Coach Spo will slowly help him adapt in the regular season, since veterans will need rest on this team after the quick turnaround.

Although he will be key in the postseason, what makes him so essential in the regular season?

Well, I believe they balance him with the playing time of Jimmy Butler. There may be some nights, especially on a back to back, where Jimmy will get more breaks than usual. And that is where Andre will come into play.

Last season in the playoffs, Iguodala was most effective on that second unit when Butler exited, since he’s able to replicate the things he does from the perspective of running the offense.

They will utilize him in a similar way through this regular season, especially with all of the youth on this roster, a guy like him is necessary for the other guys to strive.

Heading into the season, Andre Iguodala’s name doesn’t get thrown around much, mostly since he’s one of those silent impact guys who’s play doesn’t show up in the stat sheet at times.

And with the relationship of Coach Spo and Iguodala building over time, it’s clear that these two high IQ guys will come up with an efficient plan for him to be worked in.

Andre Iguodala may not be in many discussions right now, but he will be pretty soon.

Miami Heat: The Beard or The Bunch

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James Harden.

That’s a name that has been flying across the league after his eagerness to find a new home became public. And obviously, this was reported by ClutchAdamNBA from Five Reasons Sports a while back, which included the Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, and the Miami Heat.

Now, the reason I haven’t discussed it much is because even though there was interest there, and active discussions going on, it just honestly felt like a waste of time to discuss at the current moment with the pieces that were going to need to be thrown in.

The issue I had with the trade had nothing to do with James Harden, clearly. And it had nothing to do with including Tyler Herro in a trade for a top 7 player in the NBA. Instead, the issue I had was trading away the entire house.

And clearly Miami feels the same way.

Does it seem like a viable option to trade away four shiny, young, and improving pieces away? It always makes sense to trade away assets for the star, but not four.

Having to include Precious Achiuwa, who just had the best day of training camp thus far.

Having to trade away KZ Okpala, who just scored 24 points in a preseason game while getting thrown into the fire.

Giving up Duncan Robinson, who just had one of the best individual seasons shooting the basketball in NBA history.

And of course Tyler Herro, who is an improving young prosepct in which Miami is already ready to hand the offensive keys to.

That’s a lot. A whole lot.

And once again, this doesn’t mean that they won’t ever come back to this James Harden situation, but just not for that asking price.

The beard or the bunch. Miami tested the waters for the beard, knowing that they always had the bunch to fall back on. And well, it’s a solid bunch.

Although it seems as if most people are more worried about trades than actual basketball, the Miami Heat have been “locked in,” as Jimmy Butler said today.

We will see how this plays out, but as I’ve discussed many times, it’s a win-win situation for Miami. And now they’re almost ready to kick off their season in 48 hours.

Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler: The Perfect Match

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When discussing Bam Adebayo, it’s never about will he take that next leap, but instead when will he take that next leap.

In the two preseason games to start the season, the improvements in his offensive package involving the mid-range jumper have been clear. But if you think he’s getting major opportunities now on offense, just wait til Jimmy Butler lines up next to him.

Something I’ve mentioned lately is that although many speak about the offensive gravity that Duncan Robinson holds when on the floor, Jimmy Butler does as well.

Sometimes he doesn’t look to score early in the game, but once he starts attacking, it just truly opens everything up for the entire team. And after losing in the NBA Finals this past year, I can guarantee Jimmy won’t be taking any regular season game lightly.

The reason Bam Adebayo will benefit majorly from Jimmy’s offensive aggressiveness and flow is because he will have many open shots from about 12 to 15 feet. And if he doesn’t shoot those open jumpers, he will be hearing it from Jimmy.

Whenever Jimmy would drive and kick to him last season, he usually took one dribble into a floater, which obviously is great to use as well, especially for a center. But making a defense worry about that 15 footer just opens that up even more.

Another thing to note is that Jimmy Butler will be directing traffic a lot this season with the ball in his hands, and he will look to work the ball into their offensive staple. The offense runs through Bam just through his ability to pass, set screens, and hand-off, but adding that element creates the leap that many have been waiting for.

There’s a reason that this organization gave Bam the nickname “no ceiling,” and that’s because even after he perfects his jumper this season, there are still tons of areas that still have room for improving.

Many always rave about Jimmy Butler’s perfect fit for the Miami Heat culture and organization, but what about the fit with Bam Adebayo?

I know Bam fits perfectly with anybody in the NBA, since he does everything on the court, but their games align just as much as their mentality and eagerness to win.

As much as people want to constantly discuss possible trade scenarios and things of that nature, just feel comfortable either way having two stars that are basically the same person.

Max Strus: “Not Just a Shooter”

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After the shooting display that Max Strus put on for everybody last night in Miami’s win over the Raptors, it’s hard to look past that.

He scored 22 points in 22 minutes, while going 6-8 from beyond the arc. There’s no doubt about it that the guy can shoot the basketball, and thrives mostly in the catch and shoot areas, much like teammate Duncan Robinson.

When Miami brought him on a couple of weeks ago, I mentioned he would be utilized in a similar way after evaluating his past. He works very well when moving off of screens like Duncan does, which made this pick-up very interesting.

Erik Spoelstra talked about his performance after the game, mentioning that he’s had like three days of training camp where he just didn’t miss.

One thing that should always be noted is that Coach Spo and this organization don’t publicly rave about specific players unless they truly believe in them. And well, it’s clear that they believe in Max Strus.

There’s obviously room to dive into his shooting throughout this game, but ultimately every three point make included the same two things.

A quick release and all net.

To that point, it’s clear that the guy can straight up shoot it, but what else is there?

Well, as Erik Spoelstra said following last night’s win, “He’s not just a shooter.”

Although we didn’t get to see a lot other than his shooting, his size is something that he truly uses to his advanatge. He has good size for his position, which is why he finds himself able to back down smaller defenders at times.

And if it ends up sending him to the charity stripe, he’ll most likely knock them down, after shooting 96% from the free throw line in the G-League.

It feels as if these hidden gems just never stop appearing in Miami, and as I’ve mentioned many times, reflects on the Miami Heat’s scouting department. One thing I know about their way of scouting is that they don’t fly at players that are one-dimensional, they fly at players who are unique.

So even if you look at Max Strus as the typical shooter, be prepared to be proven wrong.

The Silent Emergence of Precious Achiuwa

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Precious Achiuwa wasn’t the primary discussion following yesterday’s final preseason game against the Raptors, since KZ Okpala got to prove himself and Max Strus came out firing.

Although those were outstanding performances, Precious’ performance should not be overlooked.

13 points and 15 rebounds in only 22 minutes is incredible on its own, but when you throw in the fact that it was his second NBA game after not playing in the Summer League elevates it even more.

As Bam Adebayo said following yesterday’s game, “Just imagine if he played 30 minutes, he’d have a 20/20 game.”

Precious talked about taking pride on the glass, and that’s clear when you watch him play. He’s just constantly running up and down the floor, which is why the first word people use to describe Precious is energy.

I mentioned he’d need to polish up some things involving the pick and roll, setting better screens instead of slipping every time, and he did exactly that.

And his burst of energy off the roll seems to align with Goran Dragic’s type of play, since he got a couple easy buckets off of Goran lobs.

As much as I can dive into his actual play yesterday, this is the one time the stats speak loud enough. The minutes that many rookies have been playing around the league in this preseason are much more than Precious has gotten, and not many can come close to that type of stat line. Most of them are just looking to get 13 points, since that’s an accomplishment of its own.

As mentioned before, rookies have been the big question mark this season with the unique route they’ve had to take. Most guys are just getting thrown into the fire to see how they react, and well, Precious has reacted pretty well.

The number one thing you want to see a young player do is learn quickly. And he improved in every area that I discussed from the first game on Monday to the second game on Friday. And that’s impressive.

Coach Spo has some young weapons that he can utilize in different ways, and with Precious continually mentioning his relationship with Bam Adebayo, and trying to reiterate the things he does on the basketball court, tells me he may get some energy minutes early in the season when Bam goes to the bench.