Sep 28, 2015; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat guard
Justise Winslow(20) takes a selfie during photo day at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Justise Winslow (SF, Miami Heat)
Of all the players on this list, Justise Winslow is far and away the least likely to see any starts throughout the course of the season. This will undoubtably make it difficult for him to put up big time numbers in a number of categories. What will separate Winslow from the rookies who aren’t on this list, is what he’ll bring to the playoff bound Miami squad that cannot be measured.
In all likelihood the Miami Heat starting 5 will be as follows: Goran Dragic, Dwayne Wade, Luol Deng, Chris Bosh, and Hassan Whiteside. The first few players off of the Heat’s bench will likely be Gerald Green, Mario Chalmers, and Udonis Haslem. Winslow probably will be the 8th or 9th man on the depth chart throughout the season. What he’ll be able to provide though is reliable minutes down the stretch that will prove to be crucial.
Dwayne Wade, although one of my favorite players in history, is undoubtably injury prone. Even if by some miracle he remains perfectly healthy the entire year, Eric Spoelstra will likely opt to massage Wade’s minutes throughout the season. This means that there’s a sizable gap in wing minutes to make up for. While Green is a solid offensive threat with a great deal of athleticism at his disposal, he lacks the ability to make up for Wade’s output on the defensive end. In steps Justise Winslow – a guy who can play both sides of the ball with great effectiveness.
Barring injury or severe underperformance higher up in the Miami Heat rotation, Winslow won’t see the kind of minutes that are conducive to putting up Rookie of the Year caliber numbers. His impact as a legitimate off the bench asset however, could prove to be a major difference maker as the Heat vie for a top-4 seed in the East.
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