4. Who Will Be Backup Point Guard?
One of the more pressing issues the team faces is the uncertainty regarding the depth at the point guard position.
Goran Dragic is entrenched as the team’s starter at point, so that’s not an issue. The issue is, who will be the primary backup to Dragic?
The Heat currently have three options for the backup point guard role. That would be none other than veteran Mario Chalmers and young players Tyler Johnson and Josh Richardson.
Chalmers is entering his eighth season with the franchise and played a key role for the team when they advanced to four straight NBA Finals from 2010 until 2014. In fact, he was the unquestioned starter at point guard for three of those seasons.
Johnson enters his second season in the NBA, but he primarily played at shooting guard during his rookie campaign. He is expected to make the transition to point guard, after playing the position during summer league.
Richardson is a huge wild card because he’s a rookie after having been selected in the second round of the 2015 NBA Draft. Richardson was given a vote of confidence by the organization after the Heat signed the University of Tennessee product to a three-year, $2.5 million deal. Despite being listed at 6’6,” he is fully capable of playing point, along with off-guard and small forward.
Miami is eager to part ways with Chalmers due to his $4.3 million salary and impending luxury tax penalties, but they have yet to find any takers on the market.
All three players will likely be on the opening night roster when the team begins regular season play at the end of October. However, training camp will determine who wins the backup point guard job behind Dragic.
Next: How Does Chris Andersen Figure Into the Heat’s Rotation?
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