25-under-25: Can Justise Winslow put it all together?

Justise Winslow has the individual elements of a star, but can he finally put them together and help lift the Miami Heat to greater heights?

When Justise Winslow was drafted in 2015, he was a mirror — a reflection of the values and philosophies of the teams evaluating him. That he fell to 10th in the draft was not an indictment of his talent or potential, but a reflection of the prism through which the first nine selecting franchises saw him. The Miami Heat saw an opportunity to maximize an unconventional skill-set in a prototypical NBA body.

Thus far, however, that maximization has only occurred in increasingly prolonged flashes while the promise Miami saw four years ago has yet to be fully realized. Winslow is undoubtedly a useful basketball player with a unique range of skills, but unlike his draft classmates Karl-Anthony Towns, Devin Booker or Myles Turner, Winslow’s value exists within the margins. He impacts the game more subtly than most of his peers and, if not intentionally observed, can get lost in the shuffle of more extravagant contributions.

Defensive versatility on the wing is among the most valuable commodities in the NBA, and as switching has become a more prevalent and necessary component of defense, Winslow has thrived on that end of the floor since his rookie season. A 6-foot-7, 225-pound athletic marvel, he’s among the rare few in the NBA that can actually guard all five positions credibly. Long, stout and welcoming of contact, he capably defends the most physically imposing forwards in the league, yet is light enough on his feet to slide with the quickest of guards. He’s quick and savvy enough to avoid being taken away from the point of attack, yet tenacious enough to recover if he is. He uses his chest as well as any wing defender in the league, walling off drives with a strong base and low center of gravity while using his quick feet to shadow his man’s every movement.

Offensively, Winslow is nearly as unique. Though sized like an archetypal wing, he serves primarily as a lead ball-handler for Miami’s unconventional offense without playing the methodical, omni-competent style so many other ball-dominant wings do. He initiates actions but doesn’t necessarily orchestrate them as a conventional point guard might. Instead, he creates the initial advantage on which the rest of a possession builds and leaves the rest to the Heat’s egalitarian system.

Playing as a lead ball-handler has not only allowed Winslow to develop his vision and decision-making but mitigated his inconsistent shooting as well. While opponents can merely ignore non-shooters in order to help against more dangerous threats, defenders must account for the man with the ball, no matter how ineffective a shooter he may be. That sort of functionality unlocks a myriad of lineup possibilities for Erik Spoelstra, who can run his offense through Winslow without sacrificing defensive prowess.

Last season, Winslow may have finally made himself a weapon from distance, maintaining virtually the same percentage on nearly double the volume of attempts. If he merits genuine and constant attention from defenders, it forces a recalculation of how opponents deal with Miami’s attack. Pulling Miami’s offense out of the league’s cellar, however, cannot rest entirely upon Winslow’s shoulders – which raises the central question of how much can be.

For all his understated contributions flashes of stardom, Winslow has yet to consistently marry those skills so as to develop into the sort of all-around player he could become. Despite his frame and athleticism, he struggles to finish consistently in the paint, and his improved feel and prowess with the ball in his hands has yet to translate to efficient shot creation. Winslow’s utility is still largely dependent on role and surrounding talent. His particular set of skills would be most useful on a team with the luxury of deploying him in an ancillary role as a means of connecting more talented pieces.

That, however, isn’t a luxury Miami has. The Heat will require much more of Winslow — particularly on offense — than a championship contender would, and must, therefore, find more creative ways of mitigating his limitations. His playmaking is more connective than catalyzing, and his limited value as a floor-spacer is only maximized with other threats around him. Despite his many defensive virtues, he won’t singlehandedly anchor the Heat on that end of the floor due to his relatively muted impact away from the ball. While he has shot nearly 38 percent from deep over the last two years, he doesn’t yet possess the gravity or shooting versatility to truly compromise defenses with his jumper, and he’d do well to excise some of the inefficient floaters and mid-range shots that have weighed down his efficiency in the past.

Winslow’s career has traced an arc of incremental maturation rather than one of substantial year-to-year leaps. He missed all but 18 games of his second season with a torn labrum, which undoubtedly stunted his growth in a crucial formative year, and at age 23, still has ample time to fill out his game and blossom into a steady two-way force. By that time, Miami may have even cultivated a situation in which his skills might flourish.