Miami Heat Position Preview: Breaking Down the Perimeter With Wade and LeBron
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I am lumping the shooting guard and small forward positions (Or the two and three) together because several of the players have the ability to play both wing spots. Defensively is where the main difference lies, with the three′s guarding bigger players.
On Current Roster: Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, James Jones, Mike Miller, Mickell Gladness, Anthony Mason Jr.
Will make 15-Man Roster: Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, James Jones, and Mike Miller look like locks. Da’Sean Butler has a very good shot considering he is a first round talent, although he is recovering from a serious knee injury. When he returns to full strength he can play both the two and three.
Starters: Dwyane Wade, LeBron James
No shocker here. Wade and James will form the most dominate perimeter duo in NBA history. What role each will play has yet to be determined. My bet is that Wade continues to predominantly be a scorer, while LeBron will be used more to set other players up with his excellent passing skills. Regardless of whether LeBron plays point guard in a traditional sense, the offense is going to flow through him most of the time.
Depth: Mike Miller might not start, but he will receive a heavy dose of playing time. He can do it all. He’s a pure shooter, solid rebounder, and underrated passer. He can also handle the ball. Offensively he’s a complete player and he’s going to capitalize off of what should be a bunch of open looks from the perimeter. And as you can see in the video below, the guy is a machine from three.
Eddie House will likely play some shooting guard behind Wade in addition to his minutes at the point. He would give up a lot of inches defensively which is why I see him playing more frequently alongside Wade than backing him up. His position and playing time will be dictated by matchups.
The Heat know what they have in James Jones. He’s not going to kill you for a routine 20, but what he can provide is a consistent threat from the perimeter as his career three point numbers (38 percent) indicate.
Outlook: Behind Wade, James, and Miller there isn’t a ton of depth on the outside. This is definitely something they will be looking into as the season progresses. If a strong veteran perimeter defender becomes available the Heat will be inclined to take a look.
