Miami Heat: Rodney McGruder Overlooked In Rookie Race

Rodney McGruder of the Miami Heat is a legit Rookie of the Year candidate and he deserves more credit on a national level.

One of the key debates in the NBA currently is whether Joel Embiid can be crowned Rookie of the Year despite only having played in 31 games.

Embiid has been far above the rest of the NBA rookies, but many are arguing that to give a player an award on such a small sample size hurts the sanctity of the award.

Because of this, many other names are being thrown into the hat in what is clearly a very weak rookie class. The majority of the players taken in the lottery have either been injured, been backups, or looked like raw talents.

Players being tipped for the award include Dario Saric and Malcolm Brogdon and it is almost certain that one of these two is going to win the award as the voters often don’t look beyond the basic statistics.

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One player that isn’t getting as much recognition as he should be, is Miami Heat swingman Rodney McGruder, who has been a highly reliable player for Erik Spoelstra’s team.

While I don’t think that McGruder should necessarily win the award, he should certainly be higher in consideration than players such as Buddy Hield and Isaiah Whitehead.

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On their long-term feature titled the Rookie Ladder, the NBA.com crew hasn’t even got Rodney McGruder as one of their top 12 rookies, which seems baffling. McGruder is starting on a playoff-caliber team and he is contributing on both ends of the floor every single night.

Although McGruder has received some recognition for his hard work, it is clear that he is being undervalued by those who are tasked with rating the rookies.

He may not put up the same numbers as some rookies, but he does a lot of things that do not show up on the stat sheet, he is a great defender and he isn’t falling into the trap of being a low percentage volume shooter.

In terms of Value above Replacement (VORP) Rodney McGruder is second behind Joel Embiid, and he is also second in win shares. Whilr this is because he has played a lot of minutes, it is a statistic that should be taken into account when deciding upon the award.

McGruder has played a lot of minutes because he has done well in these minutes, not because the Miami Heat are desperate.

McGruder is also second in total win shares amongst rookies, with only Malcolm Brogdon higher than him in this category.

Some will argue that this statistic is irrelevant because it is wholly dependent on minutes played, but surely, the Rookie of the Year should be awarded to someone who has played a lot of minutes.

In most other rookie classes, McGruder wouldn’t be getting any love, as the numbers he is putting up are hardly revolutionary. But this is arguably the weakest rookie class of all time and McGruder should be a beneficiary of this.

ESPN has concluded that this rookie class is the worst of the 21st century, as no class since 2000 has had a lower average game score among rookies.

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In terms of net rating, McGruder is seventh among the 19 rookies who have played 50 games, and the only player with similar minutes played that is above him, is Brogdon of the Milwaukee Bucks.

The so-called front-runners for the award are Saric and Hield and these players are 16th and 17th respectively in net rating among rookies with 50 appearances.

Efficiency should be a pivotal part of Rookie of the Year voting, and especially so in a weak class that likely isn’t going to see anyone with five win shares, this is the first time this will have happened in over 25 years.

Of the 16 rookies to have attempted 100 shots from beyond the arc, McGruder is fifth in 3-point field goal percentage, as he shoots 35 percent from beyond the arc on around 2.5 attempts per game.

He has proven to be a reliable perimeter shooter, which is pivotal in the Miami Heat offence that aims to generate shots with quick ball movement and shot fakes.

While McGruder has the advantage of being in a situation where he doesn’t have to take 15 to 20 shots in a game, this shouldn’t count against him. He is reliable at both ends of the floor and this is why an elite head coach is continuing to pick him.

It could be argued that being able to take 15 shots a game is an advantage, as it allows you to stuff the basic stats that rookie of the year voters often don’t look beyond.

McGruder gets fewer opportunities than players such as Hield and Saric and he shouldn’t be marked down for this.

It is clear that many writers around the league are not paying enough attention to the former Kansas State product, because it is only Heat fans and more analytical based pages that are really giving him a fighting chance of even being in consideration for the award.

One of the things that has been most impressive about McGruder, is the fact he is willing to go at anyone, he never shies away from challenges. Spoelstra has put this down to “persistence,”, as he said that McGruder never rejects a challenge, even if he hasn’t been fully prepared for it.

In the recent victory over the Indiana Pacers, McGruder was tasked with defending Paul George, who is one of the most potent offensive players in basketball.

McGruder was so effective against George that he limited him to 10 points and he clearly got under George’s skin. George was ejected, as he got frustrated with McGruder’s persistent style of defense.

Not many rookies would have the guts to go up against George, but not only did McGruder defend him, he defended him well, and made him a non-factor. James Johnson best summed up the situation, when he said, “Rodney McGruder don’t care.”

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This should be an advantage for McGruder, because he is facing the very best, as opposed to being hidden away from top players on defense.

I am almost certain that McGruder isn’t going to win this award, but if he isn’t even in the top five for voting, then something is seriously wrong with the process. He is an efficient player who contributes at both ends and this is without having a high usage rate.

McGruder shouldn’t be marked down because of where he came from, he should be applauded.

Because of McGruder’s form, and fit in the Heat’s defensive scheme, Justise Winslow could potentially become expendable.

While it is unwise to necessarily suggest that Winslow has no role with the Heat, it is clear that McGruder has completely outperformed him at both ends of the court.

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Winslow’s injury was supposed to create a black hole on the defensive end of the floor to Miami, but Rodney McGruder has come in and filled in admirably. We can only hope that the national media will soon catch on, because it is clear that Heat fans are high on The Scavenger.