As the Miami Heat begin their 2017-18 NBA season, they should consider using Justise Winslow as more of a playmaker.
Like many dumbfounded questions we ponder at the beginning of every NBA season, some start with overanalyzing the first few games after a long offseason. Sometimes it’s dangerously unhealthy when there’s more than one loss.
How did we lose that lead? Where’s our defense? C’mon Hassan Whiteside, you’re taller than him!
Once I get back to that calm demeanor I had before tipoff, I try to figure out how the team can recover. It’s mostly the NBA season withdrawal effect wearing off, but in this case, something did haunt me at least for a night.
The key factor was that subpar first game the Miami Heat had to open their season, and their continuing struggles to keep a lead so far, but I was able to take away the positives moving forward. What’s more peculiar is the unexpected improvements some key players have right in front of my nose.
Justise Winslow is a surprising one.
The former Duke star should make that full-time switch to point guard soon. Before you completely tear my head off for saying such a ludicrous thing, hear me out.
Sir Charles In Charge
The offensive game of No. 20 is limited and has a long way to go before it even comes close to perfection. His shooting stroke seems like that of a rookie in NBA Summer League and even with two seasons under his belt, it still looks the same. That needs to change, but his overall performance is what keeps his value intact.
As a pure defensive player, Winslow has outshined others in the rotation. His 7’0″ wingspan is the difference-maker when controlling the paint against the NBA bigs. Not only that, but his speed marks him as a dangerous threat in transition plays. His defensive rating alone ranking back from his rookie year has always been firm at around 99.
Then why can’t he be similarly effective on the offensive end?
Well, like I previously mentioned, it all starts with his shooting woes and his continuing lack of shot selection. It’s horrible and at times confusing, but it isn’t necessarily all bad. There’s a major upside to this flaw in his game, in that it’s a perfect opportunity to work on and improve his other offensive attributes while he fixes his shot.
This is where the point guard theory comes into play and now doesn’t seem too farfetched. It seems like a worthy experiment to pursue.
Justise’s court vision is great and his basketball IQ is higher than most third-year players still trying to figure out their role in the game. He is turning into a great distributor that won’t take up space as a useless counterpart to the other forwards.
He can become a facilitator and work on his game slowly while allowing better floor-spacing with spot-up opportunities for Miami’s shooters. This may also help his plus/minus increase from -1.5 while adjusting his assists per game from a low 1.0 per game to a possible 4-5 per game.
We all know he can still keep a sturdy 10 points per game, but if this move can liberate himself offensively while expanding his overall stat line and contribution, then I’m all in for this erratic experiment.
Next: 2017-18 Week 2 NBA Power Rankings
Down the line, it might just be beneficial in making Winslow a better player in the NBA. It won’t necessarily sit well with most Heat fans, but at least it will be a modification to a young lineup that, at this point in the season, has nothing to really lose.