When the Miami Heat defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in their regular season finale on Wednesday night, the team hardly resembled the starting lineup that took the court in the regular season opener.
Back on October 29, the Heat defeated the Washington Wizards, 107-95, at American Airlines Arena in the first game of the season. The starting lineup was as follows—Chris Bosh, Shawne Williams, Luol Deng, Dwyane Wade and Norris Cole.
Fast forward less than six months later in the season finale versus the Sixers and two of those players aren’t even on the roster any more. The lineup versus the Sixers was none other than Henry Walker, Michael Beasley, Tyler Johnson, Zoran Dragic and James Ennis.
Those five aforementioned players combined to start a total of just 20 games during the 2014-15 season.
Erik Spoelstra had just six total players suit up versus Philadelphia—Udonis Haslem was the lone player off the bench—as the “reserves” played at least 40 minutes each in the 105-101 victory over Philadelphia.
Because the Heat were essentially playing for nothing in the finale, Spoelstra decided to give stars like Wade and Goran Dragic a rest. He decided it would be more important for the Heat’s future to see what the team’s young guys could do with the spotlight on them.
While it was just one game, Heat fans caught a glimpse of what those five bench players could bring to the table if they’re in the red and black next season.
So just how can these “reserves” fit into the Heat’s plans for the 2015-16 season?
1. James Ennis
Ennis had a disappointing season when you consider the expectations for him entering the regular season.
He was undoubtedly the Heat’s most impressive performer during the preseason. An unknown as a second-round draft selection of the Atlanta Hawks in 2013, Ennis entered the 2014 preseason camp as a long shot to make the roster.
However, the small forward averaged 11.0 points on 52.8 percent shooting from the field in the preseason. On top of that, he shot 41.7 percent from beyond the arc.
The surprising preseason landed the 6’7″ prospect a spot on the 15-man roster. Due to Danny Granger’s injuries at the beginning of the year, Ennis was the top SF off the bench.
The Long Beach State product posted averages of just 5.0 points, 2.8 rebounds and 0.8 assists on 40.9 percent from the field on the season. In the season finale versus Philly, Ennis notched a double-double with 17 points and 12 boards on 7-of-20 from the field.
While the athleticism is there, the 24-year-old is still very raw. On the open court he can dazzle with high-flying dunks, but when he’s in a half-court setting, he struggles to find a role in the offense.
However, the organization is still high on him. Look for Spoelstra to continue developing the young forward into next season.
Next: Tyler Johnson
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2. Tyler Johnson
Like Ennis, Johnson was a member of the team’s preseason roster. However, unlike Ennis, Johnson didn’t make the cut—he was released before the start of the season.
The 6’3″ shooting guard played on the Heat’s D-League affiliate Sioux Falls Skyforce up until January, when he was signed to a 10-day contract by Miami. Eventually the 23-year-old rookie was signed to a full season contract.
Johnson possesses the ability to get hot and score. Though he made just 32 appearances and averaged just 5.9 points in 18.8 minutes per contest, the potential is clearly there. On March 2, the Fresno State product scored 26 points in a 115-98 victory over the Phoenix Suns. Five days later, he posted another 24 points in a win over the Sacramento Kings.
All things considered, Johnson will have every opportunity to be D-Wade’s primary backup next season. The Heat love their homegrown products and TJ fits that profile.
Next: Zoran Dragic
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3. Zoran Dragic
Zoran is simply a wild card at this point. Acquired at the trade deadline from the Phoenix Suns along with his brother Goran, Zoran was a blip on the radar up until the last game of the season.
In the victory over the Sixers, the younger Dragic showed that he was more than capable on the court in posting 22 points on 9-of-17 from the field along with three treys. His 22 points were the second-most of any player in the game.
While the performance certainly caught the attention of Heat Nation, the shooting guard is still too much of a mystery at this point. He averaged just 6.2 minutes per game with Miami since being acquired in February and hadn’t played in any more than four minutes in a single game.
With Phoenix, Zoran appeared in just six games and never saw more than three minutes in a single contest.
His start versus the Sixers was more of a tryout for next season than anything else. There is no guarantee the 25-year-old will be back in a Heat uniform next season, but his performance versus Philadelphia certainly caught the attention of those within the organization.
Next: Henry Walker
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4. Henry Walker
Walker was a late addition to the Heat roster, having been signed in the aftermath of the announcement of Bosh missing the rest of the season due to blood clots in his lungs.
The Kansas State product was nothing spectacular, but he did fill in to start 13 games at the forward position due to the team’s numerous injuries. He finished the season averaging 7.3 points and 3.4 boards on 34.5 percent from the field while shooting 34.1 percent from beyond the arc.
Initially signed to a 10-day contract, he was eventually signed for the rest of the year. His contract runs through the 2015-16 season.
Thus far in his short tenure with Miami, Walker has had his bright spots. On February 25 versus the Orlando Magic, Walker hit consecutive three pointers with less than 24 seconds remaining to send the game into overtime. The Heat would eventually win the contest, 93-90.
In the season finale victory over the Sixers, Walker knocked down the game-winning three pointer with nine seconds remaining.
The veteran small forward can find a niche in the rotation as long as he continues to find consistency in his shooting.
Next: Michael Beasley
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5. Michael Beasley
Obviously the biggest name of this group is none other than Beasley. The former No. 2 overall pick began his third stint with the franchise in late February when he was signed to a 10-day contract due to the roster’s lack of depth.
The 26-year-old forward finished the year with per game averages of 8.8 points, 3.7 boards and 1.3 assists on 43.4 percent shooting. He averaged 21 minutes a contest.
Beasley’s biggest game of the year was easily his lone start of the season—the 105-101 victory over Philly. He scored 34 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and dished eight assists on 12-of-27 from the field. He went to the free-throw line 11 times and converted on 10 of them.
There is little doubt that the veteran forward has a future with the Heat. If he can continue to provide a scoring punch off the bench, he could very well be the team’s sixth man for 2015-16.
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