Q: What do the Heat do with Josh McRoberts, especially if Chris Bosh cannot play? McRoberts showed in Charlotte that he has the skill set to be a poor man’s Chris Bosh. Does Erik Spoelstra try and get him back to that style of play, have him be aggressive, shooting the open three when there, and getting him to go to the hoop with a vengeance? Or do the Heat bury him at the end of the bench, in hopes he becomes disenchanted and opts out of his contract next year? My thoughts are you get his game back on track, making him a tradable asset in the summer of 2017, when you need to clear space. — Matteo.
A: It was interesting how Micky Arison mentioned McRoberts in his letter to fans, albeit last among the returning older veterans. Josh had been out of sight for so long, it was almost easy to forget that he remains a part of this mix. At this point, I’m not sure what to make of McRoberts, because I’m not sure what Erik Spoelstra truly believes, considering the way the talk has exceeded the playing time. But I do agree that the only way for the Heat to make something out of McRoberts is to get him to play with a more aggressive bent, not as the finesse big man who rarely has eyes on the rim. There have been enough dunks (and shirt ripping) to show that aggression is possible. Less finesse and more force has to be the goal. Such an approach also could represent a last chance.
Q: It appears the Heat signed a few summer-league players to contracts that were well above the D-League maximum salary of $25,000 (which is ridiculously low) as a means of encouraging them to stay with a Skyforce assignment rather than jump overseas to get an actual living wage. If the NBA is pressing all 30 teams to have an affiliate D-League team, why force teams like the Heat to do salary end runs to keep players in a system where they can be molded to the parent team’s playbook and system? — Jack, Fort Myers.
A: I totally agree. And yet, even with those six-figure guarantees to Rodney McGruder, Stefan Jankovic and Okaro White, there would be nothing to prevent outside teams from claiming them off the Heat’s Sioux Falls roster once they are excised from the Heat’s 15-player NBA roster. The only way the Heat could send any of those three to their D-League affiliate and retain their rights would be to include them on their 15-player NBA roster, which does not appear practical at the moment. It would seem that if you commit $100,000 or more to a player that there should be a mechanism to continue that relationship without having such a prospect immediately poached.
Q: Both Dion Waiters and Wayne Ellington are career backups. Why is everyone all of a sudden acting like the Heat can make them stars? — Mo.
A: With Waiters, it is because of the flashes he has shown with the Cavaliers and Thunder, as well as where he was selected in the draft. With Ellington, it is because of the 3-point element that the Heat otherwise lacks on the roster. But I also wouldn’t overstate anything in the way of guaranteed playing time for either. Not at this stage. Both Josh Richardson and Tyler Johnson could well find themselves ahead of Waiters and Ellington in the Heat’s rotation. And I’m sure Erik Spoelstra will deliver a nothing-is-guaranteed speech early in training camp.
