5 big questions for the up-and-down Miami Heat

We have questions about the NBA. Luckily, we also have answers. Some of them might be useful. A few might even turn out to be right. This is Five Big Questions and this week we touch on the up-and-down Miami Heat. 

What do you think about Justise Winslow, point guard?

Ben Ladner (@bladner_): I’m all for oversized backcourt players. You could throw Josh Richardson, who has run some point with backup units, into this mix as well. It seemed the trickiest thing with Winslow was figuring out how and where to use him. He’s not quite a good enough shooter to play full-time on the wing (despite his 3-point percentage, I don’t think he’s the sort of threat that scares defenses), and Miami just has so many deserving frontcourt guys. He can legitimately guard one through four (and some fives), and functionally slotting him as a guard opens up some lineup flexibility.

David Ramil (@dramil13): It’s the best position for him to play, really. With the loss of Dion Waiters for the season, the Heat don’t really have another suitable ball handler. Richardson is fine in that regard but is better off-ball, and James Johnson starts alongside Goran Dragic. Winslow’s leading the team’s second unit efficiently, using his length to become a solid playmaker and his defense adds another switchable body that can mitigate any advantages a small-ball lineup might present. His scoring is limited despite his improved perimeter shooting but now it’s his ability to finish at the rim that needs work. Creating opportunities for others is where he can make the biggest impact.

Paul Centopani (@PCentopani): I’m in. Why not? Give Winslow the chance to expand his game and see if that brings the best out of him. Besides, wings-as-point-guards is very posh right now.

Is Bam Adebayo exceeding your expectations?

Ladner: He is, though mostly due to him getting more opportunity than I expected him to. His skills are about where I’d expect them to be, but they’re enough to make him a solid NBA player already because his role is so specific.

Ramil: Absolutely, though I think those expectations were pretty low at the start of the season. With Hassan Whiteside in the mix, Adebayo didn’t really seem to fit; adding Kelly Olynyk in free agency a few weeks after Bam was drafted confused things even more. But with Whiteside missing a few games, Adebayo had an opportunity to show some of the versatility that makes him intriguing. He’s a solid, willing defender with incredible athleticism, an able passer, and great rebounder in traffic. His scoring is still very raw but I expect that to improve. He has nice touch on free throws so expanding his shooting range should be the next step. If Whiteside is moved in a trade, it’ll be because Adebayo has shown such promise.

Centopani: With a name like Bam Adebayo, my expectations were sky-high. For a guy drafted at the end of the lottery, he’s exceeding expectations by averaging 20 minutes, seven points, and five rebounds for a playoff team. For someone with the first name Bam, he still has a ways to go.

Has this season changed your opinion on Hassan Whiteside at all?

Ladner: Not really. The Heat are better (and more fun) with him off the floor, and his numbers have hovered right around where they’ve been the last few years. I think the team would be better off trading him, though that will be difficult to do given his mammoth contract and the dearth of teams in the market for a center.

Ramil: Not at all. The “problem” remains that Whiteside always seems capable of more, perhaps even of reaching greatness. But there are too many times when he shows a complete disinterest in playing defense and can be easily exploited in pick-and-roll situations. At the very least his passing has improved; he’s actually made a concerted effort to share the ball and has done an excellent job of it. And that’s what makes the frustration about Whiteside so tangible, that he keeps showing that he’s more skilled and versatile than he lets on and simply chooses when to turn it on or off. Injuries haven’t helped but these problems were there last season, and the season before that, and the season before that…

Centopani: The only opinion that changed on him is his ability to stay on the court. His contract becomes daunting – and possibly an albatross – if his knee issues linger.

Josh Richardson, Tyler Johnson or Wayne Ellington? Who ya got?

Ladner: Richardson is the better player of the three, but Ellington did play a crucial role in the 2009 UNC National title team… Tough choice. I prefer both to Johnson, in part because Richardson and Ellington provide far more value considering their contracts.

Ramil: J-Rich is absolutely the best of the three and shows the most potential but you could argue that Ellington has been more essential to Miami’s offense this year. There have been so many games where Ellington’s perimeter shooting has saved the Heat’s bogged-down offense. He keeps shooting and shooting and eventually they fall, closing the scoring gap in a hurry. His defense has improved, and I’d expect him to command a lot of money in free agency this summer. The concern is whether or not he’d have this same impact anywhere other than Miami. If anything, Ellington is the symbol for Erik Spoelstra’s ability to get the most of out of players that have never found success anywhere else.

Centopani: I guess it depends on what you want. Richardson is the best of the trio, both he and Johnson do a little bit of everything, and Ellington is a one-dimensional player (pretty sure he doesn’t step inside the 3-point line on offense). Having said that, give me Ellington because A) he has a reasonable contract and B) he’s on my fantasy team and just bombs 3’s.

What lineup should the Heat play in the most important moment they will face this season?

Ladner: Goran Dragic (the team’s best creator and overall player), Ellington (his floor-spacing is immensely valuable), Richardson (the team’s best two-way player), Winslow (a decent shooter and supremely versatile defender) and Kelly Olynyk (more floor-spacing and rebounding).

Ramil: Dragic should be there, despite the drop-off in his shooting. Ellington, because 30 feet is a relatively short distance for him. Richardson, as a backup ball-handler, capable scorer and versatile defender. Olynyk has shown incredible craftiness with Miami and is a good decoy in any need-to-score situation. And James Johnson, despite his struggles. There have been issues with “Bloodsport,” mental lapses and general inefficiency, but there have also been flashes that show his impact on both offense and defense, whether scoring five points in three seconds to tie a game with Charlotte, or harassing the virtually unstoppable Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Next: Paul offers up a potential trade between the Heat and the Thunder

Centopani: Most important is relative. Do they need a stop? Are they trying to get a bucket? Who are they playing against? I’ll give my answer in a vacuum: Goran Dragic, Wayne Ellington, Josh Richardson, Kelly Olynyk, and Hassan Whiteside. I think this lineup gives them the best all-around combination of play-making, shooting, and size.