5 Things We Know So Far About the 2017-18 Miami Heat

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3. Dion Waiters was worth the money

Dion Waiters Miami Heat

The Heat took what some considered a risk over the offseason when they offered shooting guard Dion Waiters a four-year, $52 million contract after the five-year pro played just 46 games in his first year with the organization. Waiters played well in the games that he did play, but some worried it was too small a sample size to be confident that the Heat could depend on Waiters for an entire season.

So far, the gamble has seemed to have paid off. While Waiters missed two recent games after the birth of his daughter, the guard has played in all of the Heat’s other contests and has continued his impressive play with 16.4 points, 3.4 assists, and 3.1 rebounds per game, all well above his career averages. The Heat have enjoyed scoring from a plethora of different players so far this season, but few have Waiters’ ability to hit the big shots when it counts the most.

In Miami’s recent game against the Utah Jazz, Waiters proved his mettle by scoring 12 of the team’s 22 points in the final quarter, leading the Heat to a much-needed road victory. Waiters has always had the mentality of a big-time player, famously naming himself as one of the top-five shooting guards in the league over the offseason, but this season, Waiters is being given the opportunity to prove it. So far, it’s working out quite well.

Next: Bam Adebayo is a star in the making

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Jonathan is a freelance writer, filmmaker, and passionate fan of the NBA. In the past Jonathan has covered politics, entertainment, travel, and more. He is a proud contributor of Heat Nation.