Heat young player who deserves more consistent minutes

12/14/2024 02:16 PM

As the Miami Heat beat the Toronto Raptors last Thursday, marking their fourth straight win of the season, there were a couple of players that shined. While the Heat have been surrounded by trade speculation involving Jimmy Butler, the team has also been playing their best stretch of basketball as fans continue to ask for more minutes from certain younger players.

The names you will hear often from fans are the Heat’s first-round pick, Kel’el Ware, who has had sporadic minutes from the team and even had a minor stint just recently with the G-League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce. Another would be Heat’s young star Nikola Jovic as he stood out in the win over the Raptors in his first minutes since Nov. 23 against the Dallas Mavericks.

Another who has had an impressive week and should be in line for more work is Miami guard Dru Smith, who can receive a standard deal since he takes up one of three two-way contract slots. With the Heat trading Thomas Bryant to the Indiana Pacers, it has freed up some space as they were near the dreaded second apron to make way for a “promotion” of Smith.

Heat’s Erik Spoelstra on the “superpower” of Dru Smith

In any sense, it has been an impressive three-game stretch for Smith, who has logged close to 30 minutes in the past three games and should get much more, looking at what Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said about the 26-year-old last Thursday.

“It’s just when you find guys that just do winning things on both ends of the court over and over and over, that could be consistent to that. That’s a superpower in this league,” Spoelstra said. “Everybody’s searching for that, but he’s kind of a glue that fits. He can make any unit work. Second unit, the starters, you know. So that’s a thing I say make me watch, make me play you and make me for sure, not even think about putting those somebody else in there. That’s all going to be dictated on the scoreboard.”

Erik Spoelstra would say that Dru Smith has a "superpower" where he consistently makes winning plays. #HeatNationpic.twitter.com/hNYOWdiMgZ

— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) December 13, 2024

In the win over the Raptors, he scored 11 points to go along with three assists and three rebounds as he shot three of seven from the field and made four of six from the three-point line. One person who caught his attention was the Heat’s captain, Bam Adebayo, who said that Smith is a “great player” for what the team needs.

“He’s just making the right plays every time down the court,” Adebayo said Thursday. “And that’s both sides of the ball what’s really the eye-popper for Drew because he’ll pick you up 94 feet, he’ll battle in the post, and then he’ll go on the other end, and you know, make crafty plays like, Dru’s a great player for us. He fits the mold for us. He’s one of those guys that flies under the radar, doesn’t say a whole lot, but, you know, you see his impact on the court.”

Bam Adebayo on another productive night from Dru Smith.

"He's just making the right plays every time down the court…" #HeatNationpic.twitter.com/cbMxS9vI0B

— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) December 13, 2024

Heat’s Dru Smith getting compliments from such as Jimmy Butler

Smith no doubt has the camaraderie with the team as Adebayo even responded with the guard humorously when ClutchPoints asked what has led to the effectiveness of the team after the Heat beat the Cleveland Cavaliers. In that specific game, he also had 11 points, which was against the same team Smith suffered a season-ending injury in a freak accident, which was no doubt a full circle moment.

It started in the Heat’s win over the Suns, where, besides playing extended minutes due to the absence of second-round rookie Pelle Larsson, Smith showed his use on both sides of the ball, especially defensively. There would be several moments in the game where he was defending Devin Booker and Bradley Beal to his success forcing turnovers, garnering a response from Butler.

"Yeah, he was aggressive on both sides of the ball, I like that," Butler said. "More so on the defensive side, getting his hands on all the loose balls that were on the floor, getting there rebounding the basketball, and just making it hell for anybody that he’s guarding. And then, obviously, he’s a shotmaker. So he’ll step in there and make some shots, too, I like that for him."

Asked Jimmy Butler of what he saw from Dru Smith, who made the most of his minutes in the win over Phoenix.

"He was aggressive on both sides of the ball, I like that…" #HeatNationpic.twitter.com/APd3f5BHKj

— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) December 8, 2024

Heat’s Erik Spoelstra on Dru Smith earning his recent minutes

Spoelstra has said on many occasions when talking about young players fighting for minutes that they have to “win the day” or “stay prepared to be prepared.” He would say to ClutchPoints that Smith encompasses those mindsets and that “everybody roots for a guy like” Smith.

"He gets it, you know, that process that we talk about, winning the day, he does that every single day, every single session in a weight room, film session, player development, pre-practice, post-practice," Spoelstra said before the Cavs victory. "It’s like his game seven, and it’s not an accident that you’re ready when your number is called. You know, we got a lot of guys already in this early season that have done that, have contributed, and that’s what we need. Maybe tomorrow night, we need some more X factors. Who knows? We have a very good team coming in here. But you know, everybody roots for a guy like Dru because he’s a relentless worker, and he’s just about winning."

Asked Erik Spoelstra on the impact Dru Smith made on the game and the mentality the team has been instilling on him. #HeatNation

"He gets it, that process that we talk about, winning the day, he does that every single day…" pic.twitter.com/PwYUuAMzIA

— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) December 8, 2024

Is Heat’s Dru Smith in line for a standard contract?

People have always complimented the Heat organization for not only the culture that has been famed up to this point but also for their player development, especially with un-drafted and G-League players. Smith is now another on the long list of really good players that Spoelstra and Miami have stuck with and have reaped the benefits, which is what the guard said to ClutchPoints in preparing him for more playing time.

"I think we do a great job, just in this organization in general, of being prepared and ready," Smith said. "All the guys, anybody that’s been sitting for a little while, we’re in the gym every day, we're still working. We’re still waiting for those opportunities, so I think it’s a credit to this staff and this organization, just the guys themselves continuing to work."

Asked Dru Smith about embracing the mentality of staying ready to be ready and attacking the day, as Spo says.

"I think we do a great job, this organization in general, of being prepared…" #HeatNationpic.twitter.com/ZnevZ1b9JO

— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) December 8, 2024

At any rate, Smith definitely deserves more minutes, and judging by how the team talks about him, that should be coming. Especially if the aforementioned Bryant trade leads to a standard contract for Smith, as the next chance he can play will be Monday as Miami looks for five straight wins against the Detroit Pistons.

The post Heat young player who deserves more consistent minutes appeared first on ClutchPoints.