2019 NBA Mock Draft: Will the Knicks’ big gamble pay off?
player. 110. . G. Vanderbilt. Darius Garland. 9
Miami joined in on the fun Wednesday afternoon, offloading Tyler Johnson and his sizable salary to the Suns and freeing up even more space in their backcourt of the future. Johnson is making $19.2 million this year and next but would have impacted the Heat’s ability to move forward with their nontraditional new point guard, Justise Winslow, and continue to put the ball in the hands of Josh Richardson. More than anything, though, that leaves a hole in the backcourt that Miami could look to fill in the draft.
There may be no more fascinating player to do that than Garland, who in five games at Vanderbilt flashed tantalizing scoring feel and playmaking that would be perfect alongside Winslow, Richardson and whomever the Heat bring in this summer and next. Leading the Commodores early in the season, Garland churned out 23.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.7 assists per 40 minutes alongside solid shooters and a playmaking big man in Simi Shittu.
That balanced production bodes well for Garland’s fit in Miami, where coach Erik Spoelstra demands that his players move the ball and make open shots. While Winslow’s growth as a playmaker has been remarkable this year, I also don’t imagine it limits what Spoelstra and the Heat would look for in a young guard in the draft. The ultimate goal for the Heat is to put as many smart, athletic playmakers on the court at once and reap the benefits, meaning Garland could be paired with Winslow and Richardson into the future.
We can also expect an increased focus on cheap players under team control for longer as they get out from beneath the albatross contracts of Hassan Whiteside and Goran Dragic after doing the same this week with Johnson.