Tag Archive for: Miami Heat

Erik Spoelstra: The Heart, The Soul, The Leader

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During this intriguing off-season for the Miami Heat, many players have been discussed through free agency and the draft. Although we have a good idea who Miami will be resigning for this upcoming season, there’s still a bit of uncertainty. But at the end of the day, their leader, Erik Spoelstra, will be ready either way.

If there was anything to take from this past postseason for Miami, it would be that Spoelstra is by far the best situational coach in the NBA. Many roster changes were made, including decreased roles for Kendrick Nunn and Meyers Leonard, even though they had so much success during the regular season.

The key word there was “regular season” though, since Spo knows what the playoffs are like after being apart of them for a while now.

He also had to make many game-plan adjustments, especially on the defensive end. Due to the fact that their rotation had a lot more versatility, he had the ability to mix it up and go to zone a lot more. And most of all, he let Bam Adebayo be Bam Adebayo.

Another thing about Spo is that he truly understands his personnel. And having that extra time in the bubble with his players allowed him to increase that understanding even more.

(And by the way, you can get the “Five Finals, Three Trophies, No Tanking shirt here)

As said before, although there’s uncertainty of what the roster will look like exactly, you must have confidence in Coach Spo to make it work no matter what. For example, if Giannis Antetokounmpo was to take his talents to South Beach, there should be zero doubt about a possible fit. Spo has done it before, and he will do it again.

And although he hasn’t gotten the respect that he absolutely deserved over the years, this past season put a stamp on it.

He put all of his trust in Jimmy Butler upon arrival in Miami, he built an offensive and defensive scheme around their cornerstone piece in Bam Adebayo, and he gave a rookie in Tyler Herro the ability to do what he does best.

This team truly is special, and that all starts with the leader of this team, Erik Spoelstra.

Jimmy Butler: Easier Role Due To Young Player Breakouts

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“We’ll be back.”

That’s what Jimmy Butler had to say following a game six loss in the NBA Finals to the Los Angeles Lakers.

It doesn’t matter what the circumstance was this past season in the bubble, Jimmy truly believes that they will be back. And why wouldn’t he, after a team projected to be a second round exit battled in the NBA Finals.

The regular season and playoffs showed everybody who Jimmy Butler is, but the Finals showed who he can be if needed.

Conversations loomed all throughout the season if Jimmy was playing the correct way. It seemed as if his unselfishness at times hurt this Heat team, and many said he would need to step up and score more.

And well, that’s exactly what he did in this past NBA Finals, and I feel the Finals is the only place that he has to do that.

Even if Miami goes into this next season with the same exact team, he can take a bit of a step back. Tyler Herro could have a huge second season scoring the ball, especially since he’ll have an increased role in the offense, which I’ve predicted he will be the team’s leading scorer.

Bam Adebayo will also be looking to take a huge leap this next season, after his bubble play previewed a jump that is soon to come. If he looks to try and score a bit more, that takes some weight off of Jimmy as well.

If you learned anything from Jimmy’s game this season, it’s that he’s going to do exactly what Jimmy Butler does. He’s going to be the main play-maker, defender, and facilitator for this young team, since he knows that they’re the key to success throughout the season.

But when it’s time to turn it on, he will be ready for that as well.

This is what makes this off-season so intriguing for Miami, since they have a choice to improve the team by adding some talent, or just run it back with the talent they have.

Either way, Jimmy Butler will be sharing the floor with Bam and Tyler, which means he will automatically take a step back to let these guys flourish.

But when Bam and Tyler do begin to breakout this next season, just know it’s because of the unselfishness and winning mentality of Jimmy Butler.

The Return of Goran Dragic Holds High Importance

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Since Goran Dragic is a free agent this off-season, it’s clear that Miami will make it a priority to bring him back.

For one, he’s coming off an incredible playoff run, where he averaged 22 points a game in the postseason. And while I don’t believe people were taking advantage of what he was doing at 34 years old, the injury definitely put it all in perspective.

It made it clear how much weight he takes off of Jimmy Butler every single night. Throughout the regular season, Goran was the guy they relied on when Jimmy came off the floor, and even times when he was on the floor.

He continually stepped up every single night when Miami was going through a tough stretch, which he’d hit some must needed shots to get them back in the game.

I think his impact and level of play is obvious, but the veteran leadership is what stands out even more with this resigning.

There is an obvious locker room connection with Goran, especially with Jimmy, since they’ve created a special relationship this past season. But more importantly, the way to elevate Tyler Herro’s game in his second year is by having Goran on the roster.

I’ve discussed the impact Goran had on Tyler in his rookie year with his style of play, but there’s also a level of comfort that he brings.

Tyler had to come off the bench this season with Goran, and they elevated the benches level of play, which was a major contribution to this team’s success. Not many people believed Herro would bring immediate impact to this team, but I think the Goran Dragic effect made him ready.

Herro isn’t the only guy that had his game elevated, since Bam Adebayo seemed to thrive when he was on the floor. Once Goran began to be comfortable with throwing the lob in the pick and roll, they developed a unique type of offense. And since Bam is such a great screen-setter, Goran had increased scoring opportunities, which was a major upgrade from the previous screen-setter he had.

It’s pretty clear what Goran Dragic brings to this Heat team, and I believe the Heat front office realizes that. They will take care of him, and ultimately I believe Goran will take care of them as well, when he tries to make another run at a title next season.

Duncan Robinson: A Klay Thompson Attribute That Is Necessary

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The Duncan Robinson and Klay Thompson comparisons have been looming following a historical season from Duncan shooting the basketball.

Even though this was Duncan’s second year in the league, I consider it his rookie season since he didn’t get playing time in year one.

Duncan averaged 14 points a game this past season, while Klay Thompson averaged 13 points a game in his rookie season. Although shooting the ball is both of their best attributes, they each have a more important skill.

Klay Thompson has the ability to lock up basically anybody he gets matched up with, while Duncan’s strength is that his impact on offense comes without even touching the ball. The gravity that he holds by running around trying to get open is truly second to none.

Although an ideal addition to Duncan’s game would be Klay Thompson-like defense, that’s not where I am going with this. Instead, I believe Duncan will need to try and step inside the three point line at times.

He began to utilize this more in the bubble when he was getting blanketed, which led to many open layups. But the mid-range game is what Duncan Robinson should focus on when watching film on Klay Thompson.

Klay is one of the best at using one dribble to step inside the three to get a better shot. The reason is that once a defender is worried about that part of your game, the three point shooting gets opened up even more.

In Klay Thompson’s rookie year, he was attempting 7 two pointers a game, which is now up to 10 a game. Duncan Robinson, on the other hand, didn’t even attempt 1 two pointer a game in the regular season.

Erik Spoelstra and Jimmy Butler have constantly mentioned that they want Duncan shooting the ball as much as possible, so it’s obvious they won’t mind him shooting some more mid-range jumpers.

And it definitely isn’t a hard thing to master. As mentioned with Klay, all he needs to do is master the pump-fake into a one dribble pull up. That one move opens up Duncan Robinson’s whole entire game, which is why I’m positive that it’ll be added to his game next season.

Klay Thompson definitely isn’t a bad player to model Duncan’s game around, since they already share similar games. And surprisingly, there have been many records that Duncan has passed Klay in already.

In five NBA finals appearances for Klay Thompson, he’s only hit seven threes in a game one time.

And in Duncan Robinson’s first finals appearance, he hit seven threes in a crucial game five performance.

Duncan clearly has a chance to be the best shooter in the NBA, but it’ll be harder since Klay will be returning. But if he utilizes the mid-range jumper a bit more, I believe he can put a stamp on that title.

The Tyler Herro-Devin Booker Comparison Is Real

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The comparison that continually gets brought up when discussing Tyler Herro is Devin Booker, and rightfully so.

The reason they got compared originally was that they have a similar play style. They can each play off the ball through catch and shoot, but ultimately thrive more with the ball in their hands off the dribble. The shooting mechanics and form have some similarities as well, which is probably because of the fact that Tyler watches a lot of film on him to model his game.

But that is not the only similarity between the two.

For starters, they played for the same college and played the same position. Surprisingly, Tyler Herro actually had a better college career than Booker.

Herro averaged 14 points, 3 assists, and 5 rebounds, while Booker averaged 10 points, 1 assist, ans 2 rebounds. It honestly isn’t fair to compare though, since Herro played many more minutes a game.

On draft night, they both seemed to get overlooked a bit, which seems to always happen to Kentucky Wildcats until they prove them wrong.

Booker and Herro each ended up getting picked 13th in their respective draft classes. And when taking a look back at it now, they each turned out to be top three players in their draft.

When heading into their rookie years, they each didn’t have too much pressure so nobody expected much. Tyler Herro averaged 14 points, 2 assists, and 3 rebounds in 27.4 minutes a game, while Devin Booker averaged 14 points, 3 assists, and 3 rebounds in 27.7 minutes a game.

The only difference is that Devin had more of an opportunity to make an impact on a bottom tier Phoenix Suns team. Herro was joining a team that just acquired Jimmy Butler, and had high hopes of a deep playoff run, which obviously ended up happening. Herro’s outstanding playoff run also gives him a bit of an advantage, since Booker hasn’t had the luxury of competing in the playoffs.

Booker ended up making a huge second year jump, going from 14 points a game to 22 points a game. And after seeing all of these similarities between Tyler and Devin, I wouldn’t be shocked if Herro did the same.

Once again, it’s two totally different situations, since Miami is coming off a Finals loss. But I actually believe that Tyler Herro will be Miami’s leading scorer next season if they have this same team.

The strides he took in the bubble offensively truly stood out, since Erik Spoelstra and the team trusted him to run the offense and take big time shots in huge playoff games. If they allowed him to do that then, what makes you think they won’t let him cut loose during the regular season?

Obviously that’s a high bar to set for a 20 year old, but if there’s anybody that’s capable of doing it, it’s Tyler Herro.

#BugBrady: Taking Your Miami Heat Questions #4

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

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

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

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

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

Well, these are definitely two separate questions.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bam Adebayo: A Chris Bosh Leap Incoming

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Bam Adebayo just finished up a very impressive third season in the NBA, averaging 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists a game. Definitely not too bad for a 23 year old, and it’s only up from there.

When taking a deep dive into the stats of Bam Adebayo and former Heat player, Chris Bosh, you find many similarities. Bosh seemed to be one year ahead of Bam, since he didn’t have the luxury of making immediate impact like Chris did.

Chris Bosh averaged 17 points and 9 rebounds a game in his second year in the NBA with Toronto, which is pretty similar to Bam’s third year stats.

Chris then went on in his third year to average 23 points a game, without shooting the three ball.

The thing that people seem to want to see different from Bam next season is an improved jumper, which makes sense since that’ll elevate his game to an entirely different level. But it’s definitely not a necessity, since self improvement may hold an even higher importance.

The only difference that Chris Bosh seemed to show in his game when he made that third year leap was offensive confidence. I feel that’s a big thing when discussing Bam Adebayo, since it’s obvious what he can do on the basketball court, but his unselfishness seems to hold some of that back.

Even Jimmy Butler would repeatedly say throughout the season that he needs to try and score more. Miami already has an unselfish leader on the floor with Butler, so it’s Bam’s job to utilize his talent.

Chris Bosh got to the point towards the end of his third season where he’d attempt 20+ shots a game, while a big night for Bam is when he attempts 15 shots.

Once again, it’s just about a certain level of comfort and confidence when he has the ball in his hands to go and make a play.

The reason I know that’s the case is because he proved in the closeout game against Boston that if he has it going, he just can’t be stopped. He began to score at will towards the end of that game, which led to a 32 point performance to send Miami to the NBA Finals.

Another clear similarity between the two is they each have historical Miami Heat playoff blocks. Two guys who aren’t afraid to put their body on the line on the defensive end to make a play when it truly matters.

Although Bam Adebayo just made a huge leap in this past playoff run, that was just the beginning.

Be prepared for yet another breakout season for Bam Adebayo, even if Miami gets another superstar.

That Chris Bosh leap is coming, but I believe it’ll be a much larger one.

Three More Miami Heat Draft Possibilities

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One name that I haven’t gone too in depth about is point guard Kira Lewis Jr. That is because he’s been gaining more and more steam as of late to be a lottery pick, some even projecting him to possibly get into the top 10.

For that reason, there are a couple other intriguing prospects that Miami may have their eye on, which the first one is Jahmi’us Ramsey.

He’s a combo guard out of Texas Tech, who carries a wide variety of ways to score the basketball. He can score at all three levels, but most importantly he does it very efficiently, which usually is the downfall of most offensively talented players entering the draft.

He also can defend the guard position very well, which would definitely entice Miami.

It’s been clear that he’s more of a scoring guard than a true point guard, but with the development of Tyler Herro running the offense, that may not be a big deal.

He has actually gotten some comparisons to Marcus Smart, and it’s obvious that those are the types of players that Miami really likes.

Another guy that has been discussed is Desmond Bane out of TCU. He’s a knockdown three point shooter with very good size. He seems to have the ability to turn into the prototypical 3 and D guy, which could definitely help Miami.

And when evaluating other parts of his game, many have said that he’s the best passer in this draft who is not a point guard. But, he is far from being the best ball-handler in the draft, which is why people think his ceiling will be a quality role player.

But Miami doesn’t need a superstar in this draft. They might actually rather go the route of getting a guy that has a lower ceiling, but can contribute right away since he looks to have a fluid transition.

He has also been working out in South Florida preparing for the NBA Draft…

Grant Riller got brought up recently as well, which I believe is actually very intriguing. As I mentioned with Jahmi’us Ramsey, Grant Riller can also score from all three levels at a very efficient rate.

He’s a guy that was not supposed to be considered around that 20 range, but has slowly been creeping up the draft board.

People have said that not only is Riller the best finisher in the class, but he’s also one of the best scorers off the dribble. I’ve seen comparisons to Fred VanVleet, which makes sense since they have a similar size and have similar abilties on offense such as the step-back.

I’ve mentioned some other possible draft selections in past articles, but these three guys could potentially be considered as well.

We will see the route Miami elects to go on Draft night on November 18th.

Kyle Alexander: An Unknown Gem for Miami

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It’s been an interesting discussion about what Miami will do with their 20th pick in this NBA draft. A defensive guard or a back-up big seem to be the two options, but what if they already have a young big being groomed?

Kyle Alexander went un-drafted in the 2019 NBA draft, after four solid years at the University of Tennessee. The reason Miami was so intrigued by him is that he truly represents work ethic and culture. He told Knox News after he got picked up by Miami, “The Heat culture is a work ethic culture. They really grind over there. That is what I did at Tennessee. It is built into me.”

The reason I believe that there’s a chance Miami can utilize him is because he fills a lot of their holes. His strength is that he has an outstanding ability to protect the rim. In his first two games with Sioux Falls, he had a total of 15 blocks. Blocking shots is what he’s most known for defensively, but he’s also very quick and lengthy, which makes him a threat against guards on the perimeter.

Another interesting strength is that he’s a very good offensive rebounder, which could be helpful in spurts when Bam Adebayo is off of the floor. His timing is actually what many have emphasized on, which also played a part in his shot blocking.

Offensively there may be some limitations, but there are also things he can look to mirror. For one, he’s a very good screen-setter, and really knows his way around the pick and roll. He is also pretty deadly from the mid-range area, when his confidence allows him to shoot.

Pat Riley told the Sun Sentinel a few months ago, “We’ve really liked him and he’s developed…We feel he has the potential to be a prototype of today’s NBA big man.”

Draft analyst, Jonathan Givony, projected Alexander to be a late first round pick in the draft, due to the reasons mentioned prior. Many teams were worried about his size, since he’s only 6’10 with a small frame. But Riley also told the Sun Sentinal, “He’s really developed an upper body.”

This situation seems pretty similar to both Duncan Robinson and KZ Okpala. Duncan was kept under the radar for a reason during his rookie year, and we all know how that turned out. Many are expecting KZ Okpala to do the same next season, but what if Kyle Alexander does so as well?

If Miami goes the route of selecting a guard or wing in this year’s NBA draft, I believe it’ll be for the reason of another young big awaiting his moment in the NBA.

And his name is Kyle Alexander.

 

Jrue Holiday Being Discussed in Trade Talks, Miami Will Be Listening

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It was reported by Shams of the Athletic this morning that the New Orleans Pelicans are discussing Jrue Holiday in trade talks, which several contending teams are pursuing.

I mentioned what Miami would most likely need to give up to get Jrue Holiday in a past article, which would probably have to be Duncan Robinson. It also comes down to who Miami values more, Duncan or KZ Okpala. I believe they may have a chance to get something done without Duncan if they throw in KZ, but it’s their decision to make.

Tyler Herro would not be considered in a trade for Jrue, for many reasons I’ve mentioned in the past. When Giannis Antetokounmpo is getting discussed, that’s clearly a different story.

I truly believe that Jrue Holiday is the best possible fit for this Heat team right now. Of course a big seems to be the ideal pick-up, but you can get a solid back-up big in free agency. Talented two-way players like Jrue are hard to come by, especially one that already has a Heat culture to him, and is respected by Jimmy Butler.

This Heat team currently has assets, but they also have options. But I don’t think there’s many better options than Jrue Holiday.

These talks will continue to get some traction the closer we get to next season, and I know Pat Riley and others will have their eyes on that situation in New Orleans.

(Also check out an episode of Five on the Floor where they discuss Jrue Holiday here)