Roster rundown
MIAMI — Staff writer Ira Winderman looks at the Miami Heat’s 14-player roster, as well as the two players with the team on two-way contracts, in terms of what comes next, with their regular season opening Wednesday night against the Memphis Grizzlies at AmericanAirlines Arena:
22 Jimmy Butler, 6-7, 232
$32.7 million.
Next step: Butler was so deferential during the preseason, except for his breakout in Orlando, that it will be interesting to see how much the Heat are expecting from him in terms of output, as well as how much Butler is expecting of himself. Clearly it will be far more than his 13.3 preseason scoring average.
7 Goran Dragic, 6-3, 190
$19.2 million.
It has been years since Dragic has been asked to provide a spark off the bench, dating to his time behind Steve Nash with the Suns. Now, at 33, it will be interesting to see whether Dragic can become the leader of the second unit. It’s not as is if there still isn’t plenty there, with 22.2 scoring and a team-best 11.4 assist averages per 48 minutes in the preseason.
40 Udonis Haslem, 6-8, 235
$2.6 million.
Um, whether he actually takes a step on the floor this season, considering his zero minutes during the preseason? At this point, it appears the Heat’s power rotation has a degree of depth that might preclude anything but mop-up duty for the 17th season veteran.
14 Tyler Herro, 6-5, 195
$3.6 million.
For all the intrigue with the 3-point shooting, playing time could come down to the ability to stay afloat on the defensive end. Opponents went right at Herro during the preseason, which only figures to increase with regular-season game planning. Still, leading the team in scoring during the preseason was heartening.
16 James Johnson, 6-7, 240 $15.3 million
Not only get back in shape, but show a commitment to stay in shape. The preseason was the ultimate setback in terms of Johnson’s ability to earn a rotation role and trust going forward.
5 Derrick Jones Jr., 6-6, 200
$1.6 million
There were encouraging signs with his ballhandling and 3-point shooting during the preseason. If those upgrades stand up to regular-season challenges, then Jones, for the first time during his Heat tenure, could emerge as a full-time rotation player.
0 Meyers Leonard, 7-0, 255
$11.3 million
With Leonard a starter in all five exhibitions, it has become clear that the Heat will pursue a bigger approach with their power rotation this season. Rebounding and 3-point shooting will keep Leonard on the floor. But there has to be more than the 3-of-13 preseason inaccuracy from behind the arc.
25 Kendrick Nunn, 6-2, 195
$1.4 million
Having stepped forward in both summer league and the preseason, the question now is whether those efforts can be duplicated during his first NBA regular season. There is reason for confidence after the 40-point breakout in the preseason finale against the Rockets.
4 KZ Okpala, 6-8, 210
$898,000
From the moment the three-year guaranteed contract was extended in July, it became clear the Heat were taking the long view with the 2019 second-round pick out of Stanford. Expect plenty of 2019-20 G League seasoning after only 33 minutes of action during the preseason.
9 Kelly Olynyk, 6-11, 240
$12.7 million
Next step: The end of the preseason showed that Olynyk is back from his offseason knee issue, with it seemingly only a matter of time until the chemistry is reignited with Bam Adebayo in the power rotation. The 25 points in his two preseason appearances were encouraging; the four rebounds were not.
13 Bam Adebayo, 6-9, 255 Salary: $3.5 million.
Next step: The preseason numbers were encouraging, particularly the 9.6 average on the boards in limited minutes (19.5 per 48 minutes). The question now becomes how much more growth there can be on the offensive end. The Heat’s hopes well could hang in the balance with the degree of Adebayo’s improvement.
55 Duncan Robinson, 6-7, 210
$1.4 million
For all the success with the stroke on the practice court, there still is the pesky issue of converting with similar success in games. All the five preseason starts added up to was .318 shooting from the field and .282 on 3-pointers. Even if that comes around, the defense has to reach another level to inspire rotation confidence.
11 Dion Waiters, 6-3, 215
$12.1 million
The flashes were there during the preseason — the ability to get into the lane, convert contested jumpers, facilitate the offense. But the push-pull with management and the coaching staff not only has resulted in a suspension, but questions of where this all is headed.
20 Justise Winslow, 6-6, 225
$13 million
Every opportunity to emerge as the unquestioned leading ballhandler was offered during the preseason, with somewhat uneven results, including 22 assists to 15 turnovers, .366 shooting from the field and 0 of 12 on 3-pointers. What needs to follow is consistency with reliable contributions.
Two-way contracts 15 Daryl Macon, 6-2, 185
The two-way contract came as somewhat of a surprise, but the intrigue dates to Macon’s time with the Heat during 2018 summer league. The former Mavericks two-way player offers depth in the backcourt in case of injuries, a trade or lingering Waiters suspension.
30 Chris Silva, 6-8, 225
The hard-working Heat frontcourt prospect now must expand the repertoire beyond the hustle game. The motor is there, with 19 rebounds in 49 preseason minutes. Will the required tools follow? The preseason offered hope of something more.