South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)
Evaluating the Heat’s upside through a scout’s eyes
MIAMI — The hope, in many ways the basis for the upcoming Miami Heat season, is that what is old is new again.
Because there is not much new at all, save for the players more likely to be battling for time in the G League than in Erik Spoelstra’s rotation.
Throughout the offseason and heading into the Sept. 25 start of training camp, the mantra from management has been about continuity and internal growth.
But what is the ultimate upside, at least from an individual standpoint?
To answer that question, we asked that simple question to a longtime Eastern Conference scout about the 20 names most likely to take the court for the first day of camp.
What, at their best, can each of the 20 become?
The answer, more often than not, is whether they have a shot.
Hassan Whiteside: “Could be a dominating center if he played hard every night and didn’t get in his own way. Do that and he could be close to an All-Star.”
Kelly Olynyk: “What you see is what you’re going to get. He can be solid and an occasional star. You are looking at a solid rotation player who can make shots and can pass.”
Bam Adebayo: “He has the potential to be a solid, 10- to 12-points-a-night scorer along with his defense, which is solid already. Is he a good starter on a championship
team? I doubt it. But he will be in the league for a long time.”
James Johnson: “I don’t see much upside. Can he make shots? Making shots at high rate would be enough with his Swiss Army Knife abilities. He might have a good year shooting. But good years?”
Justise Winslow: “His upside is about making shots more consistently, becoming a more consistent scorer, shooter. I don’t know if that will remain problematic for him.”
Udonis Haslem: “His upside is to play one more year after this. Extending his career would be the upside at this point.”
Josh Richardson: “Being a high-teens scorer, that would the upside. He does everything else. If he can be a high-teens scorer, that would be plenty of upside to build off.”
Derrick Jones Jr.: “The
upside would be becoming a consistent shooter. The upside would be if he builds on his summer and becomes a rotation player who can make shots reasonably consistently.”
Goran Dragic: “Improve his playmaking to the point where he is not just a scorer. Make his teammates better. He already a good player, but the next level would be making teammates better.”
Dion Waiters: “Make shots consistently, that’s the upside for him. Become a consistent scorer and or shooter — and stay healthy.”
Tyler Johnson: “Ditto. Become a consistent shooter, scorer, rather than an occasional one.”
Dwyane Wade: “His upside is to help them win four more games with periodic bursts of glory past.”
Wayne Ellington: “Expand his game beyond shooting. Get to the rim a little more, do something besides make shots — not that there’s anything wrong with that. Mostly, expand the repertoire.”
Rodney McGruder: “Stay healthy and make shots at a high rate. If he’s a 37 percent 3-point shooter, he stays in the league for a long time.”
Duncan Robinson: “Make shots at a high rate. Can he make shots a high rate at the next level?”
Yante Maten: “Show if he is good enough to be an actual NBA player. Can he translate his too-be-expected G League stint into an NBA career?”
Briante Weber: “His upside is to finally stick somewhere. Does he have enough? Can he show something more than he’s already shown — which might be shooting or something to go beyond his cup-of-coffee status? Demonstrate some skill that will allow him to get something beyond a 10 day.”
Marcus Lee: “Show that he is an NBA player. Demonstrate one skill that an NBA GM will believe is worth developing.”
Jarnell Stokes: “He needs to shoot and make the 18-footer. If he can make the 18- to 20-footer then he’s got a chance to stick.”
Malik Newman: “Can he consistently score and or shoot at the next level? He needs to consistently show that to stick around. He had moments in college.”