Miami Heat: Complete 2018 offseason grades
By Simon Smith
Re-signing of Wayne Ellington
Although he’s known as a long-range marksman, the decision to re-sign Ellington was essentially a lay-up on the part of the Heat front office.
Having bounced around the league by playing for six teams in seven seasons prior to arriving in South Beach, Ellington has well and truly found a home with the Heat over the past two years.
Despite having turned 30 in the midst of the last season, Ellington compiled a career-year by averaging 11.2 points in 26.5 minutes per game.
In 77 appearances, the former North Carolina product further established his reputation as one of the elite snipers in the league, ranking sixth in the league with 227 made triples while converting at a 39.2 percent clip.
Pat Riley on Wayne Ellington: "It’s great to have Wayne back. He is one of our leaders. We are very pleased that he made the choice to stay. It means a lot to us.”
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) July 13, 2018
Overall, the Heat were 3.9 points per 100 possessions better off on the offensive end when Ellington was on the floor. Furthermore, the most productive five-man, four-man, three-man and two-man lineups from a net rating perspective included the nine-year veteran.
With his ability to spread the floor, Ellington is able to significantly hurt the opposition defense, with or without the ball in hands.
https://twitter.com/MiamiHEAT/status/984276325325332480
The decision to re-sign Ellington to a one-year, $6.27 million deal was not just basic common sense, but also vital when taking into consideration Ellington’s overall impact. In the 28 games in which Ellington nailed at least four triples, the Heat posted a 20-8 record, equivalent to a 59-win pace.
Grade: A