Miami Heat: 5 goals for James Johnson in 2017-18
By Simon Smith
Following an impressive reclamation season with the Miami Heat, here are five goals for forward James Johnson in 2017-18.
It’s not often a journeyman on his fifth team in eight seasons has a career year, but that was the case last season with versatile forward James Johnson.
Signed to a one-year, $4 million contract in the summer of 2016, Johnson repaid the faith shown by the Miami Heat front office and coaching staff by producing a stellar season. Playing in a career-best 76 games, Johnson averaged 12.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.1 blocks and 1.0 steals in 27.4 minutes per game.
Finishing fifth in Sixth Man of the Year voting, Johnson’s versatility off the bench provided head coach Erik Spoelstra with an exceptional and reliable presence in the second unit. With his ability to play both the 3- and 4-spots, Johnson’s confidence flourished as the season progressed, and the results spoke for themselves.
Over his final 34 games, Johnson posted 14.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.2 steals in 29.3 minutes per game. Johnson’s versatility was most impressive in that he excelled on both ends of the floor, most notably his ability to bring the ball up the ball to initial the offense.
But perhaps the most change in Johnson last season was his physical transformation. Entering training camp at 274 pounds and 14.5 percent body fat, Johnson checked in midseason at 238 pounds and 6.75 percent body fat. This transformation is a credit to both Johnson and the Heat training staff, in that they were able to get the now 30-year-old into the best shape of his life. As Johnson explained during the course of last season:
"“I feel like that the more weight I lose, the more I unleash skills that I didn’t think I was capable of having or doing. Just being able to do more things agility wise. I can move, cut through smaller spaces, and definitely give more effort out there in the game. I can go from 100 effort to 150 now.”"
With training camp just around the corner, here are five goals for Johnson in 2017-18 to build on a career year.