The Miami Heat are set for their last preseason game on Tuesday before facing the Washington Wizards in the season opener next week.
Check out the latest news and rumors below.
Wade Ready to Attack
Dwyane Wade hasn’t looked too sharp in the preseason but he says that he’ll attack in the regular season.
“I’m still finding my way with this team and this offense,” he told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. “So I’m still trying to see where I fit in. I know I can get a shot any time I want, but it’s about the quality of it more so than anything. I’m just playing the game and just seeing.”
“I can attack off the dribble; I’m not going to do that all the time. It has to be a midpost attacking and getting double-teams that way. It’s just mixing up and being smart about it.,” he added.
“Right now, I’m facilitating, because if the point guard starts the offense then he’s normally throwing it to be first. Right now, I’m not coming down and just jacking. So I’m facilitating a lot, trying to find my guys, but, hopefully, as we get this going, I can figure it out more and see where my opportunities come.”
He noted that the priority is incorporating the new additions, such as Danny Granger and Luol Deng.
“This early offense that we started in camp is more so to get our guys to better ball movement,” he said. “So now Coach is starting to get to the point where it’s time now to put in a package for C.B. [Chris Bosh] and myself, and it will kind of be what we do for the next week, week and a half.”
Napier Starting to Impress
Many people criticized the Heat’s decision to draft Shabazz Napier, as he’s thought of as undersized and without much upside, but the rookie is starting to prove himself.
Napier had 25 points, including four free throws in the final minutes, in the overtime victory over the San Antonio Spurs, and also had a strong showing the night prior in a win over the Golden State Warriors.
“He has figured out how to be successful within his limits of height,” Wade told the Miami Herald. “He’s a tough kid. I’ve seen that early in training camp. He’s only getting better every time he steps on the floor.”
Wade also said that James Ennis is also impressing him.
“Our front office did a great job of finding these young guys at the right time,” Wade said.
“If they came before they wouldn’t have developed like they can now. Couple of these guys can really help us this year. We haven’t had that a lot since I’ve been here.”
Who Will Start at Point?
The development of Napier as well as the continued improvement or Norris Cole leaves coach Erik Spoelstra in a tough spot. A reader asked the Sun-Sentinel where Mario Chalmers fits in.
“It’s sort of shocking how the outlook has changed regarding a player who started on two NBA championship teams. It’s almost as if Chalmers has been penalized by the lack of depth at shooting guard behind Dwyane Wade,” he said.
“I’m wondering if the Norris Cole-as-starter experiment hasn’t been part of a showcase, to potentially move him before having to consider his Oct. 31 rookie-scale extension deadline. Based on how Napier has played, I think starting Chalmers at the point (which I’ve always thought would be the case) and having Napier off the bench (until he is ready for the next step) is the best fit.
“Now the question is what kind of value is Cole perceived as having?”
