Five best Florida Panthers prospects

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The Florida Panthers seem to be on the right track towards building a Stanley Cup contending team. After one year of the Bill Zito regime in Florida, the Panthers finished second in the Discover Central Division and clinched a playoff berth before losing in the first round to the defending Stanley Cup Champions, the Tampa Bay Lightning.

While the core of this team is well established with the likes of Jonathan Huberdeau, Aleksander Barkov and Aaron Ekblad, there are some exciting prospects in the pipeline who could help the Panthers sooner than you think.

For the purpose of this list, players who have completed a full season in the NHL won’t be eligible, like Owen Tippett. However, Grigori Denisenko only played in seven regular season games and would still be considered a rookie next season, thus making him a prospect. 

Here are the five best prospects in the Florida Panthers organization.

1. Spencer Knight

It was pretty obvious that Spencer Knight would rank at the top of this prospects list. The 20-year-old goalie was selected 13th overall by Florida in the 2019 NHL Draft and has already become a fan favourite in Sunrise. Usually you don’t see goalies picked in the first round of the draft, but Florida rolled the dice to get their franchise goalie. Including Knight, there have only been eight goalies selected in the first round since 2010. It is clear that Florida had a lot of confidence about his future as an NHL starter when they took him that early in the draft.

Knight finished off his two years at Boston College with a 39-12-3 record, posted a .932 save percentage in his sophomore season and capped off his collegiate/junior hockey career winning a gold medal with Team USA at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships.

After his season ended with Boston College, Knight signed his entry-level contract with the Panthers and immediately stole the show. Knight went a perfect 4-0-0, with a .919 save percentage and a 2.32 GAA  in the 2020-2021 NHL regular season. When the Panthers were down three games to one in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs to the Lightning, Knight was given the opportunity to start in his first career playoff game. He stole the show, stopping 36 of Tampa’s 37 shots in a 4-1 victory. 

In his limited appearances with the Panthers, Knight showed flashes of elite goaltending ability. You could see he was calm in the net and had the ability to make the big saves when he needed to.

Spencer Knight is the goalie of the future for the Florida Panthers and he will be in contention for next year’s starting job after Sergei Bobrovsky’s less than stellar second season with the Cats.

2. Anton Lundell 

Like Knight, Lundell has a really good chance of not only making Florida’s roster for the 2021-2022 season but playing a meaningful role on the team.

Selected 12th overall by the Panthers in the 2020 NHL Draft, 19-year-old Anton Lundell plays an extremely similar game to his fellow countryman and Florida captain Aleksander Barkov. Lundell isn’t the flashiest player by any means, but he is a great skater with an amazing hockey IQ. The 6’1, 195 lbs center plays a great two-way game, which is extremely valuable in today’s NHL. 

As a teenager, Lundell spent three seasons playing for HIFK in Finland’s top professional league, Liiga. In the 2020-2021 campaign, he nearly averaged a point per game, finishing the year with 25 points in 26 games.

Lundell also found success at the international level this past year with Finland. He started off 2021 on a high note, winning bronze at the World Juniors as Finland’s captain with 10 points in seven games. Lundell was no match for his opposition that tournament. Every time he had the puck he skated by the other team as if they weren’t there, you could tell he was better than most players in his age group. Lundell continued his success with the national team just a few weeks ago at the 2021 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships. He finished the tournament with seven points in 10 games, leading all Finnish skaters en route to a silver medal. Keep in mind, this tournament was with the senior national team and his competition were all professional hockey players, including many from the NHL.

Next season I could see Lundell slot in nicely as the Panther’s third line center. It would give him valuable minutes on the top-nine while still not forcing him to play too much in crunch time situations with the likes of Barkov and Sam Bennett centering the top-six. Even if he spends next season in the AHL, all the signs are pointing towards Lundell developing into a top two-way center. 

3. Grigori Denisenko

Drafted 15th overall in the 2018 draft, it didn’t take long for Grigori Denisenko to get a shot with the Florida Panthers. The 5’11 Russian winger spent two full seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), undoubtedly one of the best professional hockey leagues after the NHL. At 20-years-old, Denisenko made the jump to North America, splitting time between the Panthers and the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch. Denisenko had an impressive 9 points in 15 games with the Crunch and 4 assists in seven games with the Panthers.

Offensively, Denisenko is everything you want in a winger. He is a smooth skater who has great edge work and agility. On top of his skating, Denisenko has an elite shot that he can get off the stick quickly and effectively. When I look at his skill set, I immediately think of another 5’11 Russian winger and current New York Ranger Artemi Panarin. I’m not saying Denisenko will be as good as Panarin, but I see some similarities in their game.

I don’t expect Denisenko to be a regular with the Panthers next season, but I do think he could split the year between the AHL and NHL. Between the Panthers forward depth and Denisenko barely being 21 when the season starts, It wouldn’t surprise me if Florida continues to develop his game before giving a bigger role with the main team, whether that is towards the end of next season or later.

4. Matt Kiersted

Looking at the Panthers prospect list, there aren’t too many top defensive prospects to be excited about. Luckily for Florida, they were able to sign Matt Kiersted last season after he finished his college hockey career with the University of North Dakota (UND). Through his four seasons at UND, Kiersted had 77 points in 127 games and was a plus 37.

Kiersted had limited chances last season with the Panthers, playing in only seven games and not dressing in the playoff series against Tampa. What I did see from Kiersted in those games was a surprisingly calm composure on the blueline. He plays a very tight gap when defending, but it works because of his foot speed and that is something that will help him against the fastest players in the world.

Florida’s blueline wasn’t the greatest after Aaron Ekblad went down with an injury last season. Unless Florida acquires another top-four defenseman in free agency, I think Kiersted should be on the team over some of the guys who were given minutes in the playoffs. 

5. Aleksi Heponiemi

While the first three players on this list were all first round picks, Aleksi Heponiemi was selected in the second round by the Cats in the 2017 NHL Draft. After scoring 204 points in 129 games with Swift Current Broncos of the Western Hockey League (WHL), Heponiemi went back to Finland to play for Kärpät in Liiga. After a 46 point season in Finland, he made the move to the Springfield Thunderbirds of the AHL, where he had 14 points in 46 games.

This past season, Heponiemi made his NHL debut with the Panthers and scored his first career NHL goal against the Detroit Red Wings. In 9 games with the Cats, Heponiemi had 2 points.

I do have some concerns for Heponiemi at the NHL level. He’s a smaller guy, clocking in at 5’10, 155 pounds, according to NHL.com. Heponiemi was so effective in junior because he used his foot speed to blow by the other teams’ defenders and create his own space. He can still use his speed in the NHL, but the defenseman are a lot quicker in transition than the guys he saw in the WHL and way more physical. I think he needs to put on 10-15 more pounds and play in the 165-170 range so he can be stronger on the puck against NHL defenders. 

Barring an amazing training camp, I expect Heponiemi to start next season in the AHL, with the possibility he gets called up to the Panthers throughout the season.

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Noah IgbinogheneMark Brown/Getty Images

Fresh Perspective: Noah Igbinoghene deserves patience

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Back in December 2020, I typed up a column breaking down that Dolphins fans needed to have patience when it comes to Tua Tagovailoa. Now, some believe Tagovailoa is worth investing in. Others are desperately begging the Dolphins to move on before it’s too late. This comes as no surprise. However, with all the pieces the front office has surrounded Tagovailoa with, it’s clear Miami is being patient. However, there’s another second-year player in the crosshairs of social media. That player is cornerback Noah Igbinoghene out of Auburn.

From the moment he was drafted, Igbinoghene has been viewed skeptically. Why would the Miami Dolphins decide to draft another cornerback when they already invested heavily in Xavien Howard and Byron Jones? The obvious answer is potential for injury, which did happen. The veteran Jones missed two games, which forced Igbinoghene into the fire.

The result wasn’t pretty. Noah Igbinoghene found himself facing off against Stefon Diggs, one of the game’s premier wide receivers. To put it bluntly, Diggs made Igbinoghene look like a rookie. Fortunately, that’s precisely what he was, and should not have been expected to be anything else. The Detroit Lions drafted Jeffrey Okudah with the 3rd overall pick in 2020, and he struggled in his rookie season as well. So why the level of vitriol for a younger, less experienced player in Igbinoghene?

Need vs. Want

Probably the biggest factor against Igbinoghene is where he was drafted. First round picks are expected to be instant contributors, regardless of their position. If they’re good enough to be drafted in the first round, they must be elite talents and should play. However, this simply isn’t the case.

One must consider the position the Miami Dolphins were in last season. They were in the process of replenishing their roster and trying to establish a core for a long-term future. Head coach Brian Flores clearly believes a top level secondary is crucial to that end. Not surprising, given his background with the New England Patriots. But the core of the problem is that cornerback was not necessarily a position of need for Miami.

What was a position of need, was running back.

At the time of Noah Igbinoghene being announced as the pick, all four of the top running back prospects were still available. D’Andre Swift, Jonathan Taylor, J.K. Dobbins, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, any one of those players would have given the running back room a huge boost. And all four players are producing with their new teams. Meanwhile, the Dolphins’ top running back in 2020 was Myles Gaskin. Not exactly an inspiring reality.

Miami also needed a safety instead of another corner. They could have selected Alabama standout Xavier McKinney, or Antoine Winfield Jr., but instead chose Igbinoghene, knowing that he likely would not have much playing time. It’s not his fault there were two other superstars on the team blocking his path, he’s just doing what he can to improve in his situation. Unfortunately, that does not change the mindset that he’s a bust simply because he did not see the field often in 2020.

Why be patient with Noah Igbinoghene?

Let’s get one thing clear right now. Noah Igbinoghene is far from a draft bust. He is not Jamar Fletcher. He’s not Jamar Taylor. He is not Cordrea Tankersley. He is himself, and no one knows what he will become as of yet. That is the crux of the matter. There is ample amounts of film showing why Igbinoghene is worth investing time and effort into coaching up. Even top wide receivers from this draft singled out Igbinoghene as the toughest corner they ever went up against in college. Particularly, Heisman winner DeVonta Smith.

Think about what kind of praise that is. Smith has faced off against some of the toughest competition during his tenure at Alabama, including his own teammate Patrick Surtain II in every single practice. Surtain, by the way, is expected to be an immediate contributor for the Denver Broncos, and many considered him the best corner of the draft between him and Jaycee Horn out of South Carolina.

Igbinoghene was more of a challenge to Smith than him? Impressive. But there were other players he faced that could have uprooted Igbinoghene from his pedestal, and his opinion never changed.

Then, of course, there’s the film that puts what Noah Igbinoghene is capable of on full display. He was responsible for locking down some of the best wide receivers in college football, including Smith and Ja’Marr Chase, who many draft pundits considered to be the best wide receiver of the 2021 class.

His physical talent is unquestionable, he’s simply raw and requires time to grow into his role as a boundary cornerback. So all that’s left is to ask the question: Where is he now?

Progress report

During the offseason, it was revealed that Igbinoghene has been training with Miami’s star cornerback Xavien Howard to try and fix some of the issues he had last season. If there’s anyone who knows what it’s like to go through growing pains, it’s Howard, whose rookie season was less than stellar.

Now Igbinoghene finds himself in the same situation, hoping to make a big leap in his second season just like Howard did. According to defensive backs coach Gerald Alexander, Igbinoghene is on his way to doing just that.

“Noah was in a situation last year where he was able to really concentrate and develop.” Alexander said. “Again, this is a guy that hasn’t played the cornerback position for very long in his career, not just his pro career. He’s developed a lot just as far as his technique, his fundamental footwork, his transitioning and then not to mention developing in our defense and what we’re asking him to do. Now it’s time to take really the next step and also learning some stuff on the inside. Now getting a chance to know what the run game looks like and know what keys to look at and guard guys in the slot that are dealing with a little bit more space and having a little bit more presence in the middle of the field, or any help versus out there on the perimeter.”

Since Igbinoghene’s level of experience wasn’t up to par with other prospects, most of the focus was just easing him in to playing on the boundary. He’s going to be asked for more this season, but Alexander prefaced his comments by saying Igbinoghene still has plenty of work to do.

“We have a long way to go.” He said. “I’m not going to sit here and sugarcoat it like we don’t have a long way to go; but I think for him to be as good as I know and we know that he can be, we hope to continue to make strides where he can become what we think he can.”

Predicting the future

So what should be expected of Noah Igbinoghene? When should Dolphins fans expect to see a return on the team’s investment? Remember, Xavien Howard and Byron Jones have both been injured in the past. Backup are necessary if something happens to either of them. That makes his development crucial in that regard.

There’s also the reality that Miami has shown no hesitance to part ways with expensive veterans. Kyle Van Noy and Shaq Lawson are perfect examples. If they feel at any point Igbinoghene has developed to the point where he can safely take over for either Xavien Howard or Byron Jones, one of them may find themselves on the trade block, and the Dolphins could once again receive a huge haul of draft picks to further their team philosophy of development.

But to that end, there is currently no rush to throw Noah Igbinoghene into the fire again. If he is needed, the team will call on him. Until then, let him learn and grow into his position without the hindering the team if he struggles. He isn’t a bust. He’s a long-term investment.

“I think he has the potential to do a lot of special things as we’ve always thought about him and his skillset.” said Alexander. “It’s just a matter of putting the work in and having it apply on the field and being consistent in the performance.”

Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for seven years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung

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

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How the Heat Get Past Giannis and Crew Again  

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Some keys for the first round series…

 

Duncan Robinson Staying Out of Foul Trouble.

This series is massive for Duncan Robinson and him showing to the Heat he can stay on the floor in the playoffs defensively. Duncan is a restricted free agent this summer and will be seeking 17-20 million per season. Offensively he is worth it with all he does for Miami’s movement and creating for others that way. Defensively he has improved tremendously this season, but the playoffs are different, and time will tell if he is playable late in games on that end. Many games this season Duncan has picked up two quick fouls in the first quarter and that takes him out of the game early and he struggles to get his rhythm back. Many of those fouls are touchy soft fouls that many other players in the league wouldn’t be called for but Duncan must avoid those. 

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Bam Being Assertive Early & Often. 

Jimmy didn’t play in any of the three regular season matchups, Bam only attempted a total of 29 field goals in those three games and only 13 free throw attempts. Thankfully for Miami Jimmy is healthy now but even with Jimmy playing Bam needs to be looking to score. Milwaukee will be playing their drop coverage and Brook Lopez will be guarding Bam a lot. Bam must make them pay no matter if that’s hitting the mid-range jump shots or going to the rim and finishing or getting fouled and shooting free throws. In the series vs the Bucks last year he averaged 15.8 combined shot attempts and free throws per game. That number needs to be much closer to 25 in this series if Miami wants to win. As Jimmy always talks about in his press conferences Bam has so much potential and you see it in so many ways. He’s an elite defender guarding anyone from point guard to center, running the offense creating for others and it’s time to see him be more consistent and aggressive as a scorer. 

 

 

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Kendrick Nunn Attacking the Drop Coverage.

Kendrick Nunn has had a roller coaster of a season going from starting at Point Guard to being out of the rotation. The Bucks are a matchup that Nunn has always been able to exploit in his career. Last year in the bubble Nunn dealt with some personal issues as discussed on the Five On The Floor podcast, he was still most productive vs the Bucks compared to any other team in last years playoffs prior to Goran Dragic’s injury. Nunn averaged over 13 minutes a game in that series and in the Pacers series only appeared in one game and in the Celtics series only played in the first three games of that series. Nunn has scored 10 or more points in 15 of the 18 games since Victor Oladipo suffered a season ending injury. Five of those games Nunn scored over 20 points including 31 vs the Bucks in their final regular season matchup. Nunn will have the midrange shots available in this series that he likes to take. If he hits those shots it will open up things for the Heat’s offense and could flip the series in Miami’s direction. 

 

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Playoff Jimmy Doing What He Does. 

Jimmy Butler is often referred to as simply Playoff Jimmy in the playoffs. Heat fans got a great look at that in the bubble. Jimmy during the regular season is still a great player but during the regular season he’s rounding his body into form to get ready for the playoffs. He is able to lock in on one opponent over two weeks and his preparation shows. Last year the Bucks had two-time reigning MVP and Defensive Player of The Year Giannis Antetokounmpo and yet Jimmy Butler was the best player on the floor. Jimmy wants to play the best and he wants to be matched up with the best in the game. During the fourth quarter vs the Bucks in the bubble Jimmy was seen yelling at the Bucks bench “He can’t guard me!” after finishing over Giannis. If Jimmy plays like he typically does in the playoffs and gets the help needed from others you have to like Miami’s chances to defeat Milwaukee on the big stage again. 

 

One prediction I will make is that Milwaukee native Tyler Herro will have a game in Milwaukee where he is the difference in a pivotal road win. Shoutout to Five On The Floor’s own Greg Sylvander who always has the guts, Heat in Five. 

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Heat vs. Bucks: The First Round Matchup Everyone Deserved

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An NBA regular season filled with tons of chaos, uncertainty, and constant injury problems has come to its end. We arrived at the only logical place a constantly illogical season could come to — a first-round matchup featuring the two teams that clashed in a series that caught many by surprise in the Orlando Bubble last year. A series in which Miami thoroughly outplayed and embarrassed a Milwaukee team that looked like a deer in headlights.

The soul of the Bucks was removed and eaten alive by the Heat and Jimmy Butler. Miami would reach the NBA Finals in a run that captivated the fans in such an indescribable way. It would lead to an offseason filled with questions and doubts about the future for the Bucks and their fans. Two divergent paths paved by an unexpected series. Milwaukee would attempt to answer these questions by putting all the chips on the table for what could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

The Bucks traded for Jrue Holiday in a move that screamed of understandable desperation to ensure Giannis Antetokounmpo’s stay in Cream City. The gamble paid off as Giannis would go on to sign a Super Max Contract later that offseason. For Miami, it was much less drastic with some minor signings here and there. The big move they did make was giving Bam Adebayo a max contract of his own.

The regular season felt as if both teams were tuning up and training for this very moment. Imagine a Rocky-like montage, only it lasted 5+ months, and if Miami’s side included even more weights (IE: a shorter turnaround + protocols) holding them down. Everyone on the outside wondered where it would all lead towards in the end. Much like a Rocky movie, the end game features a rematch scripted to perfection.

We could have gotten a Heat-Hawks series or a Bucks-Knicks matchup — but what fun would that have been? Those same divergent paths once forged have crossed each other again. This series will have either made this season worth it for one fan base or lead into another offseason filled with questions needing answers. If Miami loses, there might get an empty feeling out of “what was this year all for?” If Milwaukee falters, it could lead to the most extended look in the mirror that Giannis and the franchise will ever encounter. The same point LeBron James and the Cavaliers had after losing to the Boston Celtics in 2010.

The difference being that Giannis has already decided to be in Milwaukee for the long term. More heads will roll, and I imagine those would include Coach Mike Budenholzer and maybe a prominent player. Could that player be Khris Middleton? I’m not advocating for that, but the front office might see it a different way, especially if Middleton has a tough series.

But the feeling of pure ignorance and bliss that Miami would get from a win would fuel the supposed “Cocky Heat Fan” for eternity. A victory that would make this season worth something when it looked like all was lost. While this may seem like such a small victory, for a team that’s dealt with as much as the Heat have, it’s bigger than that. Things really do change when circumstances throw different curveballs at you.

The win would also push back at all the “bubble fluke” talk throughout the past year. And for Milwaukee, they would have conquered their demons and somewhat justified the offseason moves in only one round. These types of stakes make the playoffs so fun, and we should be grateful to get it this early. Everyone will get more answers in this series than they would have gotten with the other alternatives.

It won’t only be the teams and fans getting and giving these answers, but for some individual players, like I mentioned earlier with Khis Middleton. Giannis will find out if it was right of him to put this much trust in the team when he could have waited until he was a Free Agent to test the waters. Bam Adebayo will have another opportunity to show everyone why he will be a force to be reckoned with for the next decade. Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro can show everyone that it wasn’t the bubble that made them such deadly snipers from 3. Jrue Holiday and Goran Dragic with an opportunity to swing the series as the x-factors they’ve been dubbed.

Kendrick Nunn out to prove to the front offices that they should stick around past this season and that the playoffs last year were an aberration. We’ll all get to see so many of these storylines unfold in a series that will be the most fun in the Eastern Conference. Personally, I’m very excited to see the chess match that Erik Spoelstra and Jimmy pull on the Bucks and Mike Budenholzer. We’ve seen the adjustments and lengths Coach Spo is willing to go to throughout the course of a playoff series. Budenholzer may have shown a willingness to do new things during the regular season, but these are the playoffs. It’s an entirely new kind of animal in comparison. And we all know the mind games Jimmy Butler can create to throw you off balance. I look forward to seeing what he has in store this time around.

Milwaukee played everyone in their last regular season to lock up this matchup, indirectly saying they’re ready for the Heat. Miami squandered a couple of games they should have captured during the regular season but played their best basketball during the last month and a half to ensure their place. These are the beds that both these teams made themselves, and now they’ll have to lie in them. Well, more like fight in them to make sure someone gets a good night’s rest.

The basketball is going to be amazing, chippy, and filled with memorable moments. Everyone will get the answers they seek. There’s no waiting around for the second round of the conference finals. The time is now to see what they’re made of. No one flinched when this matchup was on the horizon. Now we’ll see who blinks first when it comes to the actual games. In a season that felt so empty, this is an opportunity to make it feel slightly filled. The NBA’s first-round series are rarely as compelling as this one will be. Let’s bask in the fun that’s about to happen in front of us.

 

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Chris Bosh: Unique, Dynamic… and a Hall of Famer

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Dynamic tends to describe the action of events in the reactionary. We view, we process and we describe. Christopher Wesson Bosh never waited to be described as dynamic. He just was.

Over the course of a 12 year career he defined himself by being indefinable. Iconic moments and legendary stories laid in the wake of his dominance, and while he did dominate the basketball court, he also dominated our fascination. It was Chris’s world, and we were just along for the ride. So lets take one more trip with him back in time and recap five of my favorite Bosh moments:

 

1. Game 7 June 9th 2012 Eastern Conference Finals — Heat/Celtics

When a dunk in Game 1 of the Indiana series sidelined him, surgery must of been on his mind, after watching Mike Miller suffer a similar injury earlier in the season. You would have never known it was though. Chris stayed positive, and that positivity was rewarded with a MRI that reflected no tear in the abdominal muscle. He would return, it was just a matter of how, and when.

While Chris rehabbed and began treatment, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra had to adjust. We all remember the “stare” from LeBron James, and what he did to the Celtics in TD Garden to save the season, and possibly Spoelstra’s tenure, in Game 6. But it wasn’t just him. Bosh was on the floor, and he made an impact: 19 points, 8-for-10 from the floor and eight rebounds. The King of Dragons himself (favored nickname in china, no seriously!) played a critical role in holding Kevin Garnett to one of his worst games in the series, all while still playing in pain. 

 

2. Feb 7, 2007 — Orlando/Toronto 41 points

Bosh was already a 2-time all star, and that year was selected to the game with the 2nd most votes for a forward. On this night in the Air Canada Centre, the arena echoed with MVP chants, with a smile all over his face.

41 Points | 8 RBs | 3 AST | Bosh had arrived.

 

3. The Rebound — Game 6 2012 SAS/MIA  

One of my favorite tweets from Chris Bosh was sent on Jul 7, 2020. It quote-tweeted Jeff Eisenband, who asked to describe a favorite sports moment. Chris responded in customary fashion: “I got a rebound and made a pass.” So Chris. So everything he exemplified in a heat uniform. The constant pro, always deflecting, always lifting up his teammates. Ray Allen’s shot saved a season, but Chris Bosh’s rebound saved legacies: 13 men stand today with their hands a little heavier from rings because Chris did the thing he always did since entering the league. Gave maximum effort, and complete willingness to be the best teammate he can be.

Can you hear the Mike Breen call in your head too?



 

4. The Video-bombs…

Chris is a goofball, he understood the importance of levity to team chemistry. Since he was one of the more learnt, introspective men in the league, I must assume this videobombing was a calculated decision. What made some of those heat runs so entertaining and so damn enjoyable was the love that came across in his interactions with teammates. Specifically you knew that as the 27-game win streak was growing in 2012, so was the brotherhood, the camaraderie….and their title chances. Ill never forget those winner circle postgame interviews and I like to think, as much development happened there as on the practice court.

 

 

5. His Miami Superman Moment: Dec. 29 2013  in Portland

There’s something so iconic about LeBron rushing the court at Portland with a strained groin, to then take some shots at Chris’s chest before draping a cape over his shoulder. (In retrospect that probably had to hurt)

It’s easy to forget, after watching LaMarcus Aldridge play last year, but he was a dominant force at the time for the Portland Trail Blazers, a difficult task for any defender. Bosh’s 37 points may be the grabber, but the battle in the trenches with Aldridge was part of the story too. Aldridge put up 20 shots that night. The team continued to trust his offense and Bosh continued to trust his grit. Limiting Aldridge to 22 points on those attempts puts Miami at the end of the game to call up one play.

Spoelstra likely knew he needed to go the guy who had earned the moniker Big Shot Bosh. The problem was he wanted to tie, and Chris, wanted to win. The play that won the game was changed, because the player who always accepted the moment,saw the opportunity to write his own ending. The ball is inbounded from Norris Cole to Dwyane Wade, who bobbles slightly before driving to the basket, pulling Aldridge away, allowing Bsh to clear far behind the arc. The pass is made, the shot is fired, the rest is history.

Though with Chris Bosh, making history would become habit.

 

 

Ready or Not, The Miami Heat Are Arriving

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The Miami Heat have experienced more than the usual ups and downs of a regular NBA season this year. And who could blame them with such irregular circumstances clouding this uncertain season? From the lowest points of starting Gabe Vincent for almost a week. To losing to shorthanded Clippers and Warriors teams in back-to-back games in February. The dark grey cloud of underperforming and the “bubble fluke” moniker looked as though it was starting to accumulate mass the further the season went on after a loss to the shorthanded Hawks in Atlanta.

Little did the fanbase know the team was slowly getting their rhythm together and smoothing the edges as they worked in Trevor Ariza and Dewayne Dedmon. The loss in Atlanta may still be frustrating, but it looks more like a hiccup than a reflection of what the team is starting to represent. After all of that work of building consistent habits — we’re witnessing the fruits of their labor come together now. The team you’re starting to see on the floor may have taken a while to get revved up, but it’s got a full tank of gas (unlike most of Florida) now and is ready for the race of the Postseason.

Those games in January where everything was as off-kilter as you can imagine didn’t help much. Neither did the roster’s construction that took until about a month ago to finally start making sense. Everyone was getting a late start into this unholy mess of a season. But now that the mess is clearing itself up by way of the trade deadline burden being gone, the PF spot filled up by Ariza, and the bench giving huge contributions. This team is finally resembling Miami Heat basketball.

Everyone has settled into and thriving in their respective roles at the perfect time. Jimmy and Bam are the 1-2 punch leading the charge. Kendrick Nunn has settled nicely as the starting guard playing within himself alongside them and giving timely baskets when he can. Duncan Robinson is not only hitting three-pointers at a nearly automatic level but has made amazing strides on the defensive end. The bench duo of Goran Dragic and Tyler Herro has been on fire since Tyler came back from his injury, shooting 57% from 3 with a +20 Net Rating. Dewayne Dedmon and Trevor Ariza have plugged those holes the team desperately needed while not taking any mess from anyone.

This is all everyone wanted to see shine through as the light at the end of the tunnel. Now we see the usual “March” run that Erik Spoelstra teams go through, only it’s slightly delayed due to the scheduling around this chaotic season. “I want to win. We just know what we’re capable of,” Jimmy Butler said after the blowout win against the 76ers. They know they’re starting to break the shackles of this covid season towards what could be another memorable postseason run.

The trials and tribulations of this year could have broken them. They just as easily could have said, “it’s not our year,” and packed it in like the Boston Celtics. The loss versus Atlanta might have been the final blow for any other team in their position, but they pushed through. Jimmy Butler gave them a kick in the pants they so desperately needed not too long ago, both on and off the floor. Their record since Butler’s returned from his Covid-related absence stands at 32-19, which is 4th best in the east during that span.

That kick that Jimmy gives is like that of a horse you never want to be on the wrong side of. You’re either riding with him, or you’re getting bucked off as swiftly as possible. And this Heat team looks like they’re ready to be the cavalry. This recent stretch has felt like them sending a message to the rest of the league that they’re not afraid of anything, anyone, and any team. Jimmy Butler said to TNT, “nobody intimidates us.”

It certainly looks that way when you watch that killer instinct start to return to them. Udonis Haslem’s game against the 76ers was the perfect encapsulation of the energy the team is manifesting right now. No fear only pure unwavering action, boss. They’re not afraid of a team led by Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. They have Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler. Not to mention a coach in Erik Spoelstra that knows what it takes to adjust throughout a playoff series. They’re going to throw everything and everyone imaginable at Philadelphia in a series should they meet.

Atlanta? New York? The lack of a homecourt advantage doesn’t scare them. They’re battle-tested, unlike those likely first-round opponents. Milwaukee? Sure they added Jrue Holiday, but that mental space Miami owns in their heads can’t be overlooked. I’m not saying this will be easy by any means. I’m not even guaranteeing a win for Miami either. But do you want to doubt a Jimmy Butler and Erik Spoelstra-led team to vanquish Giannis and Coach Budenholzer once again?

I’m not here to tell you Miami should be considered the favorites. But there’s a path here for them to get to the Conference Finals once again. As last year proved, a path is all they need as long as Jimmy Butler is the one leading them through it, no matter how treacherous it may seem. There’s no better guiding light.

And what a delicious dish it would be to serve to the bigger outlets and “bubble fluke” pushers than another deep playoff run. Do you think the guys in that locker room don’t hear those whispers themselves? We’re talking about a team filled with guys who have been counted out and misunderestimated numerous times. We’re in for a wild ride this postseason, and I would not have sounded this enthused only a month ago. As one of Jimmy Butler’s favorite singers, Taylor Swift, said, “these things will change. Can you feel it now?”

Erik Spoelstra never sacrificed throughout the year for a few cheap regular-season wins here and there. He stuck with his plan and now it’s paying off. Jimmy Butler is averaging the lowest minutes of his career thanks to this plan. That lift on his jumper looks as good as it ever has in his Miami tenure. Butler is more than ready to be fully unleashed on whichever opponent wants to try him. The offense looks like that well-oiled machine we’ve grown accustomed to. They’ve been a top 5 team in terms of offensive rating since April. Imagine telling that to someone not too long ago.

It may have been a bumpy right filled with plenty of unexpected stops, but this is what the fans have been waiting for. Everyone seems to have found their guts. Nothing is scarier than a Miami Heat team with rhythm, led by a top 2 Coach, a rested proven playoff superstar and a fear of no one. The team will take the battle to whoever stands in their way. I’m ready to watch them fight and to make their opponent never feel comfortable. I hope you’re ready too.

5 Keys to the Panthers-Lightning Playoff Series

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For the first time in franchise history, the Florida Panthers will face their cross-state rivals, the Tampa Bay Lightning in a playoff series. 

After finishing the 2020-2021 NHL regular season with 79 points in 56 games, the Panthers locked up the] second seed in the Discover Central Division, giving them home-ice advantage for their first round matchup against the Lightning. While Florida won the season series against the defending Stanley Cup Champions with a 5-2-1 record, the playoffs are a different monster. 

Here are the five keys to the Panthers-Lightning playoff series.

Stay Out of the Box

It’s obvious that you don’t want to take penalties in a hockey game, but when you are playing the Tampa Bay Lightning, that’s all the more reason not to go down a man. In the final three games of the season Florida did a really good job of shutting down Tampa’s powerplay. The Lightning were 0-12 on the man advantage over that stretch. 

However, Tampa still ranked NO. 8 in the league on the man advantage during the season, and they are expected to have captain Steven Stamkos and 2019 Hart Trophy winner Nikita Kucherov back in the lineup sometime during the first round. With these two coming back alongside Brayden Point and Norris Trophy winner Victor Headman, their powerplay will be as lethal as ever. 

Throughout the year Florida had an average penalty kill at best, ranking 17th in the NHL at 79.8 percent. Tampa knows how to put the puck in the net, keep them off the power play. 

Use the Team’s Depth to your Advantage 

Bill Zito did an amazing job constructing this Panthers team in his first season as GM. Four of the seven leading scorers on the team weren’t on the roster last season and Florida has dressed over 20 skaters who didn’t suit up in a game last year for the Cats. All four forward lines have the talent and skill to compete with Tampa. 

Teams that have gone on to win the cup in the past have always relied on their bottom 6 to provide quality minutes down the stretch. Last year the Lightning relied on players like Barclay Goodrow and Blake Coleman to bring energy to the ice when the top 6 wasn’t on. 

The Panthers have guys like Noel Acciari, Frank Vatrano and Patric Hornqvist who can go toe-to-toe with any line Tampa throws at them. Florida has a surplus of forwards who can come in and out of the lineup throughout a long and physical playoff series, this depth will prove to be beneficial in this matchup.

Get the Stars Rolling Early

Playoff hockey isn’t for the weak. The intensity of the game picks up, the physicality increases, and the goals become tougher to come by. The best thing for a team in a playoff series is to get their star players involved on the scoresheet early. Aleksander Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau have once again proven to be elite hockey players this season. The duo averaged over a point per game on the season and they both hit the 20 goal mark. But the longtime Panthers aren’t alone this year. 

The offseason acquisitions of Carter Verhaeghe, Anthony Duclair, Patric Hornqvist and Alexander Wennberg have not only helped the Panthers this season, but it also took a large part of the offensive responsibilities off of Barkov and Huberdeau. Bill Zito also made a trade at the deadline for proven playoff performer and 2014 4th overall pick, Sam Bennett, from Calgary. Bennett has 15 points in 10 games this season for the Panthers and has 19 points in 30 career postseason games with the Flames. 

Throughout the season they all played a huge part in getting Florida to the playoffs. If these guys can show up offensively early in the series, Tampa is going to have a hard time trying to shut them down over seven games.

Win the Goalie Battle

Whoever is in net for the Panthers in game 1 will be going up against 2019 Vezina winner Andrei Vasilevskiy. Vasilevskiy has once again proven to be one of the world’s top goalies this season, winning 31 of his 42 starts with a 2.21 GAA and a .925 save percentage. He has had a great year, but the Panthers have been one of the only teams in the league who consistently put multiple goals up on him, including nine total in their final two meetings of the season.

The Panthers have three goalies to choose from for this series. Sergei Bobrovsky won 19 of his 30 starts and has looked significantly better than he did last season for Florida. He has started the most games this season for the Panthers. Florida’s other goalie Chris Dreidger also had an impressive 2020-2021 campaign, winning 14 of his 23 starts and posting a .927 save percentage with a 2.07 GAA. Rookie Spencer Knight is also on the roster. The 20-year-old is 4-0-0 in his NHL career.

No matter who gets the crease for the majority of this series, they need to stand on their head. Tampa has the offensive firepower to score a few quick goals and run away with the game. You don’t want to be playing behind in the playoffs against the defending champions. 

Goalies win championships and Florida has a few really talented netminders who can steal them a playoff series if needed. 

Bring the Physicality

This Panthers team is different than any other team I have seen. This roster is physical, strong and hungry. In the final two games of the season, Florida needed three points to clinch home-ice advantage for the first round. 

Tampa came to town and tried to bring the pressure to the Cats. Florida didn’t back down from the fight, or fights. On May 8, the Florida-Tampa game had 154 total penalty minutes and a large part of that was due to the bad blood between the two sides. Everytime Tampa came out aggressive, everyone on Florida answered the bell and the Cats took that game 5-1. The Panthers made the message clear that night, they weren’t going to let anyone beat them up at their home in front of their fans.

The BB&T Center will be at nearly 50 percent capacity for the first round. With the building rocking and the city excited, Florida will feed off of that energy and bring the game to Tampa.

What to Expect

Both teams have a lot to play for in this series. Tampa just won the cup and they want to defend it, not lose in the first round. Florida has little playoff experience and they just saw the only other NHL team in their state win the whole thing last year, they don’t want to be the little brother anymore. From what we saw over the eight regular season games, these two sides clearly don’t like each other. Expect a hard fought, extremely exciting and not so “polite’ series in this first round matchup between the Florida Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning. 

 

Dewayne Dedmon Revived a Dying Heat Bench

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The death of the NBA’s traditional big man has been well documented for the past decade. Traditionalists have pointed to the league’s infatuation with the three-point line as the main culprit — as well as players not looking to score on the block like Tim Duncan or Hakeem Olajuwon. In reality, big men have adapted and come in so many different shapes and sizes. You have Nikola Jokic punishing guys on the inside with his lumbering post moves that feel like the world’s most violent pillow fight. But he also can step out to the three-point line and serve up a sweet jumper or dissect you with his passing on the elbows.

Then there’s Joel Embiid and his brute strength, touch, and array of moves mesmerizing from the low block in his own way. Even if you’re not in this elite class of Centers, there’s still room for you in today’s game. You can be a rim runner who provides rim protection or a stretch five coming off the bench for spacing. This is a league where there is room for Rudy Gobert, Nerlens Noel, Dwight Powell, and Kelly Olynyk.

But for the Miami Heat this season, it’s been a roller coaster of finding any semblance of a solid backup Center. The only player who that could have been, in Kelly Olynyk, was forced to start alongside Bam Adebayo due to the team’s lack of Power Forward at the time. Chris Silva and Precious Achiuwa were far too up and down (mostly down) for any semblance of a steady bench big.

After the trade that sent away the long-haired Canadian, Miami’s search would get even dicier. Nemanja Bjelica was seen as the obvious plug-in for Kelly. But the Belly Olynyk experiment failed in only a week. Precious Achiuwa was called out of the bullpen once again by Erik Spoelstra. Those minutes went as well as you would guess. Would Coach Spo and the team find that solid backup Center that seemingly every team in the league has? Where would their Nerlens Noel/Dario Saric/Marc Gasol/Naz Reid come from?

No one could have guessed that the answer would come in the form of a player who hadn’t seen an NBA court for over a year. Dewayne Dedmon arrived in Miami and secured the role with only a couple of auditions under his belt. The name wasn’t flashy like Andre Drummond, Blake Griffin, or LaMarcus Aldridge at the time. Everyone was skeptical if he would even get playing time when the team inked him for the rest of the season. It seemed to the public Miami had only done the signing to avoid being fined for not having enough players on the roster.

But as always, Erik Spoelstra and the staff knew something we didn’t. They had a plan for the 7-feet tall big man with a 7’4 wingspan. They worked him in little by little until he had earned the minutes and trust from Coach Spo. The activity on the offensive glass was akin to Brian Grant in his heyday. The ability to set such solid screens and give the guards even more room to operate despite not being a spacer. Dedmon offered legitimate vertical spacing off the bench that was reminiscent of Chris “Birdman” Andersen.

He was filling in a role the Heat and their fans had yearned for so long—a backup center allowing you to rest your star in Bam Adebayo while simultaneously giving you a boost. They’re no longer buying time with their backup big. The team is making actual runs with their bench units — which were foreign to the team for most of the year. Dedmon has allowed a much better balance all around and given roster flexibility to the team as a whole. It isn’t as important as having a healthy Victor Oladipo, but it’s still important for a team dealing within the margins like Miami is doing.

Dedmon has been malleable in terms of fitting in with so many of the Heat’s important perimeter players. The Net Ratings of lineups featuring Dedmon with the rest of the regulars include a +27.2 with Jimmy Butler, +31.1 with Trevor Ariza, +26.7 with Kendrick Nunn, and a +18 with Goran Dragic. That last number is important because Dedmon and Dragic will see many of their minutes together for the rest of the season. Goran has talked about their chemistry and how hard Dedmon plays while still being really smart in his limited minutes. It’s given him a pick and roll partner who sets punishing screens and allows him to operate in more space.

They’re still working out the kinks, as Goran admitted in a recent postgame presser. But if this is what tinkering looks like, then it’s a good sign for what it’ll look like once they seriously start gelling. While the defense hasn’t been as impressive as the other end — it is still miles ahead of where the team’s bench was not too long ago. Dedmon’s size and wingspan are more of a deterrent to players who get into the lane. Bjelica and Achiuwa weren’t providing that same juice.

Dedmon has also shown the staff that he is willing to learn different coverages and adapt to those styles, whether coming out and blitzing or dropping back. He is much better at meeting the offensive player at the screen than Bjelica was while providing the necessary time for his teammates to recover and getting back to his initial man. He’s a vet who has seen every coverage in the book and won’t hesitate to adjust to whatever the team needs from him.

Everyone wanted the big flashy name during the transaction period a couple of months back. The DeMarcus Cousins of the world were constantly brought up as if they were the saviors of the season. The Miami Heat didn’t need a savior; they needed solid. They needed what the Washington Wizards had gotten when they swiped Daniel Gafford from the Chicago Bulls. The league is filled with so many rotation-level big men that could come in and give you a solid 15-20 minutes. Players that you don’t need to sign to big contracts because they’re easier to replace, in a way that the Running Back has become in the NFL.

The Heat finally found their Dion Lewis or James White after a search that looked like it would end in more Precious Achiuwa minutes. He may not start a game this season, but the productive change of pace he gives on a nightly basis was more than I expected him to give. The big man isn’t dead; it’s still around and playing a key role all around the league, as guys like Dedmon have demonstrated. It may not be flashy, but they’re getting the work done. Work that Miami has finally found getting done after so many applicants.

Jaylen waddle, drafted No. 6 overall by the Miami Dolphins in the 2021 NFL draft. (Criag Davis for Five Reasons Sports)

Pressure Point: Dolphins opt for athletic playmakers in Waddle, Phillips

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The Miami Dolphins addressed a pressing need right out of the gate Thursday in the opening round of the NFL Draft when they selected Alabama wide receiver Jaylen Waddle with the No. 6 pick.

They rolled the dice for a big-play target for Tua Tagovailoa in his former Crimson Tide teammate.

Waddle made the point when asked on ESPN about his primary asset moments after the pick was announced.

“Playmaking ability,” he said. “I’ll do my best to try to showcase that.”

They got another playmaker, this time on defense, when they took University of Miami defensive end Jaelan Phillips at No. 18. Phillips, who played one season for the Hurricanes, was the first pass-rusher selected.

Dolphins picks fill key positions on offense, defense

Both players are impressive athletes who come with some questions. They were both fan-pleasing picks, focused on glamour positions of both sides of the ball.

Regarding Waddle, the intriguing question will be whether the Dolphins made the right choice from a premium array of top-tier receivers.

The Dolphins clearly put their money on speed, which is never a bad bet.

Through pre-draft trades with San Francisco and Philadelphia that took them from the No. 3 pick to 6 by way of 12, they moved themselves out of the running for Florida tight end extraordinaire Kyle Pitts, who was the first non-quarterback taken at No. 4 by Atlanta.

LSU receiver Ja’Marr Chase was then reunited with his college quarterback, Joe Burrow, with the No. 5 pick by Cincinnati.

Then came the Dolphins with the choice between speedy but slight Alabama receivers. They opted for Waddle over Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith, who eventually went 10th to the Eagles.

The fun will come in comparing the careers of this group in the coming years. That is the measuring stick of the draft.

Similarly, Tagovailoa faces questions about whether the Dolphins erred last year in taking him over Justin Herbert, who went to the Chargers one pick later and had a record-setting rookie season. The final verdict is still on the horizon.

Waddle compared to Tyreek Hill

This time, Pitts was my preference for Miami, but the Dolphins opted for a receiver with explosive speed who can stretch the defense deep or turn a short route into a big gain. Waddle has the ability to create separation through acceleration, which was notably missing among Dolphins receivers last season.

A stat that stands out is Waddle averaged 9.8 yards after the catch during his career, the most among all Power 5 receivers since 2014, according to Pro Football Focus.

The popular comparison is with Kansas City Chiefs five-time Pro Bowl receiver Tyreek Hill.

“I get a lot of comparisons to Tyree just because of our small size and being able to be a runner,” Waddle said in a conference call with South Florida media Thursday night. “But I want to be my own player and try to play the game that I play. … So I think I’m going to try to be the player I always have been and try to make plays for the team.”

Waddle gets a head start in that he already has chemistry with Tagovailoa, as would have been the case if Smith had been chosen.

Choice between Alabama teammates

Did Miami pick the right Alabama receiver?

If Waddle didn’t break an ankle in October, maybe he wins the Heisman. Through four games, he was putting up better numbers than Smith, averaging 139.3 yards a game and 22.3 per catch.

Which will become the better pro? The Dolphins saw enough to make a distinction in their evaluation.

Waddle can fly, and is a tremendous kick returner, aided by 4.37 (40-yard-dash) speed.

Give him bonus points for returning to limp through the national championship game and contributing three catches. He didn’t participate in a pro day but says he’s over the injury.

As with Smith, there are questions about Waddle’s size. He is 5-9 ½ and 182 pounds. Similar stature hasn’t hampered Hill or others like Hall of Fame receivers Marvin Harrison and Isaac Bruce.

Soon-to-be-teammate Phillips offered a defensive player’s view on Waddle, saying, “He’s a dog. I’ve been watching him for a little while now and he’s just electric, man. He’s a playmaker through and through. I was super-excited to get to know him. I know he’s going to contribute to this team greatly.”

Phillips overcame career-threatening injuries

Phillips, who expressed joy about remaining in the 305, comes with a troubling injury history while at UCLA and it appeared his football career was over before resurrecting it at Miami.

He showcased his pass-rushing skills last season and put on a dazzling performance at the UM pro day, which certainly elevated his draft stock.

“I had two concussions while I was at UCLA. I play football, man, it’s a physical sport. Ask anybody in the NFL, I guarantee they’ve had some concussions in their time. It’s nothing to be worried about,” Phillips said Thursday night.

The physical aspect of the game means nothing is a given beyond draft day.

The Dolphins added obvious talent at two vital skilled positions to start this draft. They have six more picks over the next two days.

The rigors of football will determine how it all plays out.

Dolphins remaining 2021 draft picks:

  • Round 2: No. 36 (from HOU)
  • Round 2: No. 50.
  • Round 3: No. 81.
  • Round 5: No. 156 (from DAL through PHI)
  • Round 7: No. 231.
  • Round 7: No. 258.

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for four decades. Follow him on Twitter @CraigDavisRuns

Chris Grier isn't a perfect general manager, but he does not deserve to be fired.

Pressure Point: Dolphins may regret missing chance at Kyle Pitts

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Through all the debate and speculation about the 2021 NFL Draft, the central question surrounding the Miami Dolphins boils down to: What is in Chris Grier’s mind?

What is the assessment of the Dolphins general manager and coach Brian Flores and their lieutenants concerning their options for selecting an impact playmaker in the first round to energize the offense?

They were positioned to land the best non-quarterback with the No. 3 pick and gave up that option in the interest of adding future draft capital.

Trades to move from No. 3 to 12, then back up to 6 have added more mystery and intrigue than usual.

It is puzzling because it has clearly weakened the Dolphins’ hand in Thursday’s opening round. That may well come back to haunt them if Florida tight end Kyle Pitts turns out to be the dynamic pro that many evaluators expect — for another team.

Kyle Pitts a rare talent

Draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. has called Pitts the highest-rated tight end in all the drafts he has analyzed. Gators coach Dan Mullen has referred to Pitts as a “unicorn.”

I’ve felt for weeks that I’d be thoroughly disappointed if the Dolphins don’t come away with Pitts, who possesses a rare combination of skills to give opposing defensive coordinators fits for years.

Disappointment has already set in because Pitts is almost certainly out of Miami’s reach now.

After quarterbacks are taken with the top three picks, the Atlanta Falcons are said to be set to snatch Pitts. And why wouldn’t they jump at the chance to add such a game changer for the twilight of quarterback Matt Ryan’s career?

Worse yet for Miami, the Cincinnati Bengals are likely to use the No. 5 pick to reunite LSU wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase with quarterback Joe Burrow.

Chase gets top marks on most rankings of the wide receivers in this draft.

Which would leave the Dolphins to go eeny, meeny, miny, moe with Tua Tagovailoa’s former Alabama teammates, wide receivers DeVonata Smith and Jaylen Waddle.

Dolphins’ plan shrouded in mystery

Unless they play the “highest rated player available on the board” card and take offensive tackle Penei Sewell. No matter how dominant Sewell was for Oregon (prior to opting out of 2020 for COVID considerations) that pick would surely spark mass outrage in Dolphinland.

Which brings us back to the initial question: What are Grier and Flores thinking going into this all-important draft?

If, as recent reports have indicated (ESPN’s Todd McShay among others), Pitts is the Dolphins’ preferred choice, why didn’t they stay at No. 3 when they had the pick of the receiver litter?

When the Dolphins made the trades that landed them at No. 6 there was conjecture that they were OK with any of the top tier wideouts or Pitts. I don’t believe any NFL team approaches any draft like that. Ever.

They evaluate. They prioritize. They have a list.

Grier and Flores have a plan. We just don’t know what it is.

It may be a winner. It may not.

Trades for draft picks get mixed results

Trading to stockpile high draft picks is a valid strategy for rebuilding teams. But there’s no way to be sure where those picks are going to land in future years or what return you’ll be able to get with them.

The Dolphins may have gotten a bit too clever for their own good in the trades with the 49ers and Eagles, which netted an extra 2023 first-rounder and a 2022 third-round compensatory pick.

But they gave up the No. 3 pick this year, which was part of the 2019 trade with Houston for Pro Bowl offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil.

Consider that they essentially replaced Tunsil on the offensive line with Austin Jackson, who they took at No. 18 in 2020 with the pick obtained from Pittsburgh for defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick.

Jackson was so-so as a rookie, though he has potential and may yet develop into a stalwart on the line. Fitzpatrick has been outstanding in two seasons for the Steelers, and right now that trade is a net loss for Miami.

As much as I like Flores as a coach, and I do, the personnel side of the Grier/Flores partnership has had ups and downs.

Yes, they have greatly improved the roster over the past two years and banked a 10-win season in 2020.

The really difficult challenge in the NFL is the steep climb from nine or 10 wins to 12 or 13 and a team capable of going deep in the playoffs.

To make that leap requires a roster with genuine stars who move the ball and make a difference in big games. Those type of players are notably absent from the Dolphins roster.

Playmakers for Tua must be priority No. 1

They hope Tagovailoa will grow into that description. They need to give him high-quality resources to make it happen.

This week’s deal that sent veteran guard Ereck Flowers to Washington added more mystery and intrigue than usual. Some interpreted it as a preface to drafting Sewell, with 2020 second-round pick Robert Hunt moving from right tackle to guard.

What the Flowers deal primarily did was create some needed salary cap space and cut ties with a player who wasn’t worth the three-year, $30 million contract they gave him as a free agent last year.

Sewell may well prove to be a cornerstone offensive tackle in the NFL. Can’t help recalling that Jake Long was supposed to be that when the Dolphins took him first overall in 2008 rather than Matt Ryan.

Long is long retired due to injuries and Ryan is still compiling hall of fame credentials for the Falcons, and may soon have Kyle Pitts to help finish the job.

Offensive lineman won’t cut it

The Dolphins took Jackson, Hunt and guard Solomon Kindley in the first four rounds last year. It’s up to Flores the coach to make those picks pay off through development.

It’s up to Grier the GM to add playmakers in this draft who can create magic with the ball in their hands.

I suspect they’ll end up with DeVonta Smith with the first of two first-round picks.

Maybe the Heisman Trophy winner, paired again with Tagovailoa, will prove as dominant a force for the Dolphins as he was for Alabama.

Or maybe they’ll rue letting Kyle Pitts get away.

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for four decades. Follow him on Twitter @CraigDavisRuns