3. Dion Waiters
Now entering his seventh season in the league, Waiters remains one of the more polarizing players in the league. Whether it’s his inconsistent level of production or his attitude in general, the general opinion on Waiters is clearly heavily divided.
When he’s on, the 26-year-old is without doubt a difference-maker. This was never more evident than during the second half of the 2016-17 season when the Heat compiled an incredible 30-11 record to complete the season. Over a 21-game stretch, Waiters averaged 19.6 points, 5.1 assists and 3.7 rebounds, shooting at an elite 46.0 percent clip from 3-point range on 6.1 attempts per game.
Considering Waiters is a career 34.1 percent shooter from long range, this was clearly an anomaly. Having said that, it also demonstrates the level of talent Waiters possesses, and thus the reason the Heat invested in him with a four-year, $52 million contract in the summer of 2017.
This brings us to the present, with Waiters coming off an injury-interrupted season in which he played just 30 games before succumbing to a season-ending ankle injury. Following his hot streak the previous season and the ensuing contract, Waiters’ efficiency dropped significantly, as evidenced by his disastrous .398/.306/.739 shooting splits.
Now on the comeback trail via a rigorous rehabilitation schedule, the pressure is certainly on Waiters and the remaining $36.3 million on his current deal. While the Heat have numerous options to operate from 2-spot, Waiters’ versatility to operate as both a scorer and playmaker makes the Heat a considerably more dangerous opponent when the Syracuse product is in rhythm.