Miami Heat: Should Dwyane Wade go back to being a starter?

Should Dwyane Wade be inserted back into the Miami Heat’s starting lineup? Or is he better suited as part of the second unit?

Dwyane Wade might have an important decision coming soon. Well, to clarify things, it might not be Wade’s decision to make. Head coach Erik Spoelstra will be the one to make that decision if he wants this Miami Heat team to compete for a playoff spot and maintain that hope in these next two months.

Wade finally erupted in his house for 27 points against the Philadelphia 76ers in an incredible, nostalgic game that had the whole arena cheering like if it was a playoff game. Fifteen of his 27 points came in the last five minutes of the game, including a clutch jump shot with 5.9 seconds left.

It was just a magical moment to say the least. The best part about it was how Wade’s heroics lifted this team and gave his teammates momentum and confidence once again.

It came at the perfect time as well. Philadelphia is in sixth in the Eastern Conference standings, only a game ahead of Miami in eighth.

Of course, this was only one game and if that long perimeter shot would’ve rimmed out, the tone of this article would be completely different, but let’s not bask in the what-ifs. Instead, let’s appreciate the greatness that was Miami Heat basketball once again and ponder hypothetical questions moving forward.

Let’s start off with the rotations that Spoelstra will need to continue to evaluate. It’s no surprise that Miami’s only consistent factor this season has been its unfortunate injury dilemma. The maladies have been piling up and are hurting this team’s chemistry and productivity.

Live Feed

Sir Charles In Charge

Tuesday’s game saw Miami welcome back both Kelly Olynyk and Rodney McGruder, who both had quiet but effective games defensively. Olynyk was a +11 for the night, notching nine points and three rebounds while McGruder had one 3-pointer for the night.

That same game, however, saw the Heat suffer two more injuries. Two come in, two come out. That’s been the Heat’s motto lately, unfortunately. Wayne Ellington and Tyler Johnson both suffered injuries early in the game and are now questionable for Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers.

So the constant lineup changes are honestly justified due to these horrific and, for lack of a better word, bad luck injuries.

However, the main question that still lingers and has been floating around though is, “Should Dwyane Wade return to the starting lineup soon?”

Well, he is the team’s leader for the time being and Miami now has a revived unit with more enthusiasm moving forward, despite falling to the 8-seed.

Wade’s numbers, with the exception of last game, haven’t been strong at all. He is averaging 11.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game since coming home. He is consistent, but hasn’t sparked enough offense to be brought back into the starting lineup. His 2.8 turnovers per game have been his kryptonite since coming back. He can still fix that, but he needs to do so fast.

For the time being, and with less that 20 games left, Flash is better suited coming off the bench. The Heat seem to have finally figured out their starting lineup and have finally seen glimpses of the closing lineup they want to use.

Justise Winslow has displayed a superb defensive skill-set, especially with his wingspan and rebounding abilities. His 21.1 defensive rebounding percentage, combined with Josh Richardson’s 2.2 steal percentage, makes for a great defensive combo in the starting unit.

Wade needs to bring energy and a great offensive boost off the bench as their first option in the second unit. He has been aggressive attacking lately, but can also serve as a decoy for the spot-up shooters. That should be his role moving forward even if he returns next season, since Waiters will be back next season too.

Next: 2017-18 Week 20 NBA Power Rankings

For the time being, the Heat need this Wade to continue playing his game offensively and by attracting defenses to free up lanes and shooters. If he continues to play the way he did against Philly off the bench, maybe this could be exactly what Miami needs to make another strong push up the rankings.