Miami Heat: 2017-18 player grades for Josh Richardson
By Simon Smith
Weaknesses
Recently, Richardson provided the answer as to what has thus far prevented him from genuinely reaching the next level as a player:
"“That I’m capable of being a great player in this league and I think I showed flashes. I think I just have to do it consistently.”"
Consistency is the key term here that applies to Richardson, with this past season being a perfect example. Having struggled mightily in November by averaging just 7.6 points per game, Richardson raised his game significantly by averaging 17.4 points per game throughout December. However, after a couple more solid months, Richardson’s numbers dropped to 12.5 points per game in March, and just 10.8 points per game in April.
Looking at some Heat stats and...
— Nekias (Nuh-KY-us) Duncan (@NekiasNBA) February 27, 2018
/sigh
Since his return to Miami, Dwyane Wade is averaging more shot attempts than Josh Richardson, more minutes than Justise Winslow, and has a higher usage rate than everyone except Udonis Haslem (who has played four minutes).
WHY?
Granted, the arrival of Dwyane Wade in February can partly explain Richardson’s downturn in production, especially given Wade’s team-high 29.6 usage rate. As a result, Richardson’s playing time dropped from 34.3 minutes per game prior to Wade’s arrival, to 30.9 after his second stint on South Beach.
However, the slight drop in playing time does not completely explain Richardson’s slide towards the end of the season. Over the course of the regular season, while Richardson had 22 games of 17 or more points, he also had 23 games in which he scored nine points or less. Considering the Heat were an impressive 15-7 when Richardson reached the 17-point mark, it will be fascinating to follow his development as a player when he commences his fourth season.