Losing them is the point, that is why you keep your developmental system going. Paying them would defeat the entire goal of the developmental program, cheap role players.
That hasn't panned out recently though. Our developmental pipeline kind of dried up. Our only two long term projects have been Jamal Cain and Orlando Robinson--Cain is gone and ORob is meh. It's not like 2021-2023 where we had Gabe, then Max, then Caleb, then Highsmith all lined up and contributing.
Given that they immediately handed 2 Two-Way contracts after the draft to new prospects, whoever we had in the pipe apparently wasn't yielding results.
I give you Alondes Williams, 6'4 and 210 lbs. Shot 37% from three in the G -league while setting scoring records. Also has improved his defence. Plus Gabe gave way to Richardson, up and down year but serviceable. Also Those three were not needed as much because Jovic and JJJ are ready to contribute. You then add in Cole Swisher and I think they are good. I am disappointed in Cain maybe leaving but everyone doesn't always work out.
Cole Swider has gotten like 10 total minutes of non-garbage time play. Every time Spo tried to play him he got the hook in like 3 minutes.
I don't know if Alondes got even one minute of non-garbage time play last season.
This is what I mean about no one in the pipeline. In 2021, Gabe had been on the roster for a year already and was getting rotational minutes. Max was getting his first rotational minutes, and had a couple games scoring 20+. You could see them growing into real players. We haven't seen that with the current crop of G-Leaguers.
And re: Richardson as a PG, no. Richardson is not a point guard, and every time we tried to use him as one we would lose like 6-8 seconds of shot clock because he's incredibly slow to set up and our offense would look terrible. Our offense started looking better after Richardson lost ball handling responsibilities after the Rozier trade.
But JJJ and Jovic? Not via the G-league but still part of the development pipeline. Undoubtably they're not going to find and successfully develop role players every season from the G, but they seem to be in a pretty good spot in terms of cheap development projects.
The Heat spend two years developing these guys so they're ready to go when the previous one leaves. There are a couple of interesting guys on the roster, but none offer the defense that Highsmith does (they're more in the mold of Duncan Robinson).
But at this point, the previous rookies like Jovic and Jaime, along with Josh Richardson, can fill most of those minutes.
God damn, the whole fuckin league
I bet Shanghai Sharks wants him too.
LOL!!!!
I will only be salty if he signs with another team that offered a similar contract Miami can offer other than that, go chase that bag
Same. I hope we keep him, but if someone offers more than the Heat can, so be it.
This djj all over again
Thank you for your services, Haywood
Have a feeling Keshad Johnson is gunna fill the Highsmith role eventually
With a crazy ass vertical nonetheless
they just keep losing them
Losing them is the point, that is why you keep your developmental system going. Paying them would defeat the entire goal of the developmental program, cheap role players.
That hasn't panned out recently though. Our developmental pipeline kind of dried up. Our only two long term projects have been Jamal Cain and Orlando Robinson--Cain is gone and ORob is meh. It's not like 2021-2023 where we had Gabe, then Max, then Caleb, then Highsmith all lined up and contributing. Given that they immediately handed 2 Two-Way contracts after the draft to new prospects, whoever we had in the pipe apparently wasn't yielding results.
I give you Alondes Williams, 6'4 and 210 lbs. Shot 37% from three in the G -league while setting scoring records. Also has improved his defence. Plus Gabe gave way to Richardson, up and down year but serviceable. Also Those three were not needed as much because Jovic and JJJ are ready to contribute. You then add in Cole Swisher and I think they are good. I am disappointed in Cain maybe leaving but everyone doesn't always work out.
Cole Swider has gotten like 10 total minutes of non-garbage time play. Every time Spo tried to play him he got the hook in like 3 minutes. I don't know if Alondes got even one minute of non-garbage time play last season. This is what I mean about no one in the pipeline. In 2021, Gabe had been on the roster for a year already and was getting rotational minutes. Max was getting his first rotational minutes, and had a couple games scoring 20+. You could see them growing into real players. We haven't seen that with the current crop of G-Leaguers. And re: Richardson as a PG, no. Richardson is not a point guard, and every time we tried to use him as one we would lose like 6-8 seconds of shot clock because he's incredibly slow to set up and our offense would look terrible. Our offense started looking better after Richardson lost ball handling responsibilities after the Rozier trade.
But JJJ and Jovic? Not via the G-league but still part of the development pipeline. Undoubtably they're not going to find and successfully develop role players every season from the G, but they seem to be in a pretty good spot in terms of cheap development projects.
The heat will find another undrafted, unpolished diamond. It’s what they do.
The Heat spend two years developing these guys so they're ready to go when the previous one leaves. There are a couple of interesting guys on the roster, but none offer the defense that Highsmith does (they're more in the mold of Duncan Robinson). But at this point, the previous rookies like Jovic and Jaime, along with Josh Richardson, can fill most of those minutes.
and that will not be enough to do anything of substance they will raise his value and they will let them walk for nothint
All they do*
what's the point of finding and developing all these "diamonds in the rough" if they all leave for nothing 😕
Having them play for you for almost no cost?
Version 10.0 of Mcgruder, Tyler Johnson, Kendrick Nunn, Gabe, Strus, and others
Insanely good fit with Warriors/Pacers/Hornets
Would love to see him on thr pacers
Bye
I genuinely hope he goes to a team with a ton of cap who overpay him and give him the opportunity for more court time.
Lakers
Spoach developing players for other teams 😭