Was swapping out Justise Winslow, Dion Waiters, and James Johnson for Andre Iguodala, Jae Crowder, and Solomon Hill a good move for the Miami Heat?
The Miami Heat made a splash at the 2020 trade deadline, acquiring forwards Andre Iguodala, Jae Crowder and Solomon Hill from the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Justise Winslow, Dion Waiters and James Johnson.
Iguodala was one of the most coveted wings during this season’s trade deadline frenzy. The three-time champion and 2015 Finals MVP was salary dumped to the Grizzlies in July and has been away from the team ever since. At age 36, Iguodala isn’t the difference-maker he once was, but he should still provide strong defense and playmaking skills.
The deal, which was first reported by The Athletic’s Shams Charania, includes an extension for Iguodala worth $30 million over two years with a team option for the second year. Iguodala was set to be a free agent this summer.
Andre Iguodala agreed to a two-year, $30M extension with Heat, but second year of deal includes team option that gives Heat cap flexibility, per sources. Miami wants space for max player in summer of 2021. https://t.co/7D8zauII8T
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 6, 2020
Miami also added wings Jae Crowder and Solomon Hill in the deal. Crowder has started in 45 games for Memphis this season, averaging 9.9 points on 36.8 percent from the field and 29.2 percent from 3, as well as career-highs in rebounds (6.2 per game) and assists (2.8 per game). Hill is a reserve averaging 5.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game on 41.2 percent field goal shooting and 38.1 percent 2-point shooting.
In exchange for Iguodala, the Heat sent out Justise Winslow, Dion Waiters, and James Johnson. All three were key contributors for Miami (often starters) in previous years but have not contributed much this season due to extended absences.
Winslow spent the first five seasons of his career in Miami, putting up averages of 9.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. The 6’7″ wing is coming off his best season to date, averaging 12.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game while shooting 43.3 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from beyond the arc. spent some time at point guard while Goran Dragic recovered from knee surgery.
The Heat are playing 21 points per 100 possessions better with Justise Winslow on the court compared to him off the court since he took over the starting point guard job in Miami
— Christian Hernandez (@BoutDameTime) January 3, 2019
Most of Winslow’s 2019-20 season has been derailed due to a back injury. He has only appeared in 11 of Miami’s 50 games so far and played in just one game over the Miami Heat’s last 28.
Waiters and Johnson have had lackluster seasons as well. Waiters has dealt with multiple suspensions and injuries this season, playing in only three games this season. Johnson has missed 32 games due to illness and personal reasons this season. He will be sent to the Minnesota Timberwolves from Memphis in exchange for Gorgui Dieng.
Despite Winslow’s injuries and Iguodala’s contract extension, this was not a good decision by the Miami Heat.
Iguodala, the primary piece going to Miami, does not move the needle. He’s a quality bench piece but he does not drastically increase Miami’s chances at winning the title. For players like that, they shouldn’t be giving up key players, which Winslow is when healthy.
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Iguodala, Crowder, and Hill will certainly provide the Heat with more depth, but the Heat are already quite deep. The Heat’s bench ranks 5th in points per game and fourth in 3-point percentage.
Winslow also hasn’t even entered his prime yet. He doesn’t turn 24 until March, giving him plenty of room to improve on his already well-rounded game. Meanwhile, Iguodala is already 36 years old. Amplifying this issue is that Iguodala and Winslow’s games are already pretty similar. Both are versatile defenders and solid ball handlers/distributors.
Crowder (29 years old) and Hill (28 years old) are younger than Iguodala, but they likely won’t be as impactful in the postseason as he is. Winslow is currently better than both of them and has more room to improve than they do.
Additionally, Winslow’s 3-point shooting is noticeably better than Iguodala’s and Crowder’s in recent memory. He has shot 37.7 percent from 3 over his last two seasons, a mark Crowder hasn’t hit since the 2016-17 season and Iguodala hasn’t hit since the 2011-2012 season. Hill’s 38.1 percent shooting clip is the best of the group, but he’s also the worst player overall.
Yet, this trade isn’t a total dud for the Heat. The team is coming off its worst month of the season so far (going 8-6 in January), so gaining some new blood could possibly shake things up. The trade brings in three veterans that will know their role and should fit nicely in Miami’s system. Waiters and Johnson were dead-weight to Miami at this point, so adding guys that can actually contribute is a plus.
Also, Miami was still able to keep its young core in place. Winslow is a solid player, but Miami still has multiple players under 25 years of age that are impactful. They still have plenty of young players to develop and build around.
Keeping Winslow would have been the smarter move for Miami, as he is too young and skilled to be moved for a couple of vets that don’t drastically improve a team’s chances at the championship. However, the Miami Heat have been on a roll this season and this trade should allow them to continue rolling.