The Heat may use Dion Waiters as the primary backup to starting point guard Goran Dragic if Waiters’ ankle issues are behind him, according to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Coach Erik Spoelstra was using Waiters in a playmaking role before he was sidelined last season. Tyler Johnson isn’t suited for that role, Winderman continues, because he expends too much effort and takes too time advancing the ball. Spoelstra tends to use a variety of players who take turns handling the ball, which is why there is uncertainty about that role aside from Dragic.
In other news regarding the team:
- Miami has made Johnson, Hassan Whiteside and Waiters available in trade talks this summer but hasn’t found much of a market for the trio, two unnamed league GMs told Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. The Heat’s best chance of falling under the luxury-tax threshold would be moving Johnson for a player making less money, Jackson adds.
- The Heat agreed to a contract with former Kansas guard Malik Newman with the intent of making him a G League affiliate player, Winderman writes in a separate story. Those deals are limited to a $50K guarantee. The team has already filled both of its two-contract slots with Duncan Robinson and Yante Maten, while the regular roster already has five rotation options at the guard spots with the possibility of Dwyane Wade making that situation even more muddled if he’s re-signed.
- Finding a steady role for Rodney McGruder will be a challenge for Spoelstra next season, Winderman writes in another mailbag. McGruder was a starter when Miami made its second-half run in 2016/17, Winderman notes, but a leg injury sidetracked him last season. With Josh Richardson and Waiters starting at the wing spots and Justise Winslow, Johnson and Wayne Ellington as options behind them, it’s tough to see where McGruder fits in, Winderman adds.
No wonder Miami cannot find takers for Waiters, Johnson & Whiteside, to get rid of them they need to sweeten the deal & give plenty of picks for someone to take their awful contracts.
Whiteside is annoying, a head case, and you could argue a bit lazy, but talent wise hes so much better than Waiters and Johnson. Waiters has that JR Smith mentality tho, aka chucker. Johnson is just so grossly overpaid, who in their right mind matches that Nets offer. People were stunned he got the offer, then moreso when Miami matched. Whiteside could be better than Drummond or DJ just bc he can hit a freaking FT. Has all the tools to make him a traditional big – score around the rim, rebound, block shots. If he and Drummond add 3s it will be a fun year to watch both. But talent wise I’d say he has the most, DJ is the guy that puts in the most effort tho which makes him the best oldschool big.
Mcgruder should be a starter. Dragic, Richardson, Mcgruder, James Johnson, Whiteside
TJ, Winslow, Ellington, Waiters, KO, Wade, Bam
Ira winderman is 1000 years old, and I laugh every time he tries to ask his questions about 3rd PGs and Pat Riley laughs in his face, as he did last year. He still hasnt learned that certain guys playing multiple positions eliminates a need for a traditional PG.
Only bad contracts the Heat have are Whiteside, and arguably KO and Waiters. KO was good last year, so it’s not bad yet, and Waiters was injured, which is the only thing that makes it bad. If KO plays like he did last year, or improved, and Waiters is healthy, it’s only Whiteside that the Heat are stuck with. If he tries a little, that changes the whole team
Bottom line is Heat has had 2 issues the last couple of years, those being the entire team being injured and abhorrent free throw shooting. If they can remain relatively healthy for once, and if they can somehow just be bad at the FT line, instead of god awful/by far the worst team in the league in that regard, they will have a chance to win close to 50 games…the free throws cost them countless games the last couple of years, including arguably at least 3 of the 4 playoff losses to Philly
Probably too much Heat coverage. Nothing changes with them or has in some time. They are good but in the middle. They want to trade for better cheaper players, etc, but cannot. Got it.