Dragic sees Bjelica as ‘so much more’ than a shooter
Former teammate says forward will fit in well with Miami
Goran Dragic’s previous stint as Nemanja Bjelica’s teammate may have been short-lived, but the Slovenian guard assured that Bjelica will bring more to the Miami Heat than 3-point shooting.
Bjelica’s reputation of being an outside-shooting big man is well deserved. He’s shot 38.8 percent from beyond the arc since entering the NBA in 2015 despite shooting a career-low 29.3 percent on threes so far this season.
But Dragic, who briefly played with Bjelica on Saski Baskonia in Spain during the NBA lockout in 2011, sees the 6-10 Serbian forward as more than someone who’ll space the floor.
“He’s a great shooter. He’s going to play a huge role in the spacing for our attackers to get inside the paint, but he’s so much more, though,” Dragic said with the Heat looking to end their six-game losing streak on Monday against the New York Knicks. “He can put the ball on the floor and make plays. I think he’s going to fit in quite well.”
Bjelica averaged 7.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists and shot 46 percent from the floor while playing 19.6 minutes per contest in 26 games (one start) with the Sacramento Kings this season.
When featured in a more significant role last year, Bjelica averaged career-highs of 11.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 72 games (67 starts). Even in a reduced role with the Kings this season, Bjelica, 32, maintained an elite assist percentage for a big man (15.7 percent).
Bjelica was complimentary of Dragic, who called Bjelica after the Heat acquired him during the trade deadline.
“I’ve known him for a long time,” said Bjelica, who could make his Heat debut against the Knicks. “What can I say about him: he’s one of the most underrated players in the league, a great player, a great guy and he’s a winner. It’s really easier for me to be with somebody who’s from Europe, especially from the Balkans.”
Dragic isn’t the only Heat player Bjelica is familiar with. Bjelica — who’s previously played for the Kings (2015-18) and Minnesota Timberwolves (2018-21) — was teammates with Trevor Ariza on the Kings last season before Ariza was traded to the Portland Trailblazers in January 2020. He also played with Jimmy Butler during his time with the Timberwolves (2017-18).
“He’s a great teammate,” Bjelica said of Butler. “You can learn a lot of things from Jimmy. You just need to give your best and as long as you’re giving your best on the floor, you’re fine.”
Bjelica sees himself as a good complement with Bam Adebayo in the Heat’s power rotation.
“A player like Bam, it’s easy to play with
him,” he said. “You just need to read what he’s going to do. I know I’m here as a stretch guy. They want me to space the floor. I think I can do a lot of things also, but at this point I’m just happy to be here. It’s a great opportunity. It’s going to be fun.”
And it’s already been made clear that Erik Spoelstra wants Bjelica to be aggressive in taking shots from beyond the arc.
“I talked with everybody about that,” Bjelica said, “They expect me to shoot the ball. Actually here, this is my sixth year in the league, and it’s the first time I’m in a system where they want to win right now. I’m happy for the opportunity and hopefully, everything is going to be OK.”
And the Heat are hoping the additions of Bjelica and Victor Oladipo, who’s was in Miami as of Sunday evening and was out for Monday with a head cold, will bolster a Heat offense that ranked No. 24 in offensive efficiency.
“That’s why you just have to stay the course and really focus on what’s real,” Spoelstra said. “We’ve been doing more good things and taking this thing in a direction we want to offensively the last 6-8 weeks.
The last 10 days it hasn’t been consistent, so that can skew your overall view on where the offense is going.
“We have to incorporate these guys and continue to play more to our strengths. Overall, we’re heading in the right direction.”