James Johnson, Miami Heat stuck in limbo
The Miami Heat sent James Johnson home prior to media day after he failed to meet team conditioning requirements. Can the team try and move his contract on?
The Miami Heat are having a season for the books. They have a 24-8 record which is good for third in the NBA. They are 15-1 at home which is the best home record in the NBA. On top of that, they are 8-1 in games decided by five points or less and 6-0 in overtime games.
Impressive numbers, considering they are doing it all without Dion Waiters and for the most part, James Johnson.
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In a previous article, Hoops Habit outlined the fact that the Heat would have to eat the rest of Waiters contract. The Johnson situation is very different from Waiters, he was sent home prior to training camp due to failing conditioning requirements.
At the time both Johnson and coach Eric Spoelstra were fairly confident that Johnson would be back on the team quickly. After 32 games into the season, the Heat ex-captain has only played six games, none since Nov. 27.
Johnson has had a fairly tumultuous last season and a half. He missed the first 15 games after surgery on a sports hernia. He then lost his job in the starting lineup and ended up averaging only 7.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists for the season.
In his six games this season, Johnson has averaged only 3.3 points and 1.8 rebounds which is certainly not good enough for the $15.3 million he is earning this season. What is worse for the Heat is that Johnson is owed $16 million for next season.
It is obvious that despite this contract, the Heat feel they play better without him, and their record for the season would certainly suggest that. The addition of Jimmy Butler, the growth of Bam Adebayo and the emergence of second-year sharpshooter Duncan Robinson as well as rookies Kendrick Nunn and Tyler Herro have provided a winning brand of basketball.
This gives the Miami Heat a double-edged sword. They are playing so well without Johnson that they would probably like to trade him. However, in order to get what they would want in return for Johnson, they need to play him.
https://twitter.com/MiamiHEAT/status/1211289517161943041?s=20
Due to the Heat having $27 million on their books this season and $28.5 million for next season of nearly dead money thanks to Waiters and Johnson, they need to move at least one of the contracts. As a 6’7″ combo forward who is strong defensively, Johnson is going to be the easier contract to move.
more heat. Miami will have to eat Waiters contract. light
The Heat can sell the fact the Johnson has met the conditioning requirements as he is on the team but has lost his game time to Jimmy Butler. He has actually lost game time to Butler, Robinson, Derrick Jones Jr.and Meyers Leonard, all of whom are better fits for the Heat culture and game plan.
His 30.4 percent shooting from deep is not going to garner much playing time over the previously mentioned players.With the emphasis on wing players needing to be able to shoot from deep, Johnson is going to be hard to move. However, he will be easier to move than Waiters who has an attitude problem as shown by his three team suspensions this year alone.
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Johnson used to be a key member of this team but his game has not developed enough to fit the team’s needs. His contract will be enough to help get the Heat another player who will ensure they are battling it out for the Eastern Conference Finals. The way they are playing they deserve to get that far at least.