Miami Heat: Is Josh Richardson the team’s best player?
Josh Richardson is on an extremely impressive hot streak, but can it last? If so, is he the Miami Heat’s best player?
Prior to the season, the Miami Heat signed Josh Richardson, a second-round pick from the 2015 NBA Draft, to a four-year, $42 million contract extension.
On the surface, that seemed like a steep extension for a former second-round pick. Although, three months into the season, that signing is looking better by each game.
In the month on December, Josh Richardson is averaging 18 points, four rebounds and three assists per game on 55 percent shooting and 47 percent from 3-point range. He’s also the team’s best defensive player and is asked to check point guards through forwards, on any given night. Opponents are only shooting 38.5 percent against Richardson on the season, which is arguably the best mark in the NBA considering volume.
The argument can actually be made that Richardson is currently the team’s best player – and no one could’ve really seen this coming just a few months ago.
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Richardson might be the best player that no one really knows, but is he really the best player on the Heat?
To answer that question, we have to assume that Richardson’s recent tear isn’t just another hot streak. But because of his history, that’s difficult to assume.
After an impressive rookie season (52 games), in which he averaged seven points per game on 45 percent shooting from the field and 46 percent from 3-point range, Richardson had a down year in his sophomore season. Richardson averaged 10 points per game, but only shot 39 percent from the field and 33 percent from 3-point range.
It should be noted that Richardson fought through numerous injuries last season, which could be a reason why his percentages took a hit.
During his last 15 games this season, Richardson has only been held to single-digits once. In fact, his shot chart during this span is actually quite insane.
However, prior to those 15 games, Richardson was having a pretty average year.
During the first 19 games of the season, Richardson was averaging a pedestrian 8.2 points per game on 36 percent shooting from the field and 25 percent shooting from 3-point range. Question is, was this a just a slow start on the part of Richardson or is his recent 15 games just a hot streak?
The second half of the season will begin to answer that question for us moving forward, but if this trend continues it’s not out of the realm of reality to say that Josh Richardson is the Miami Heat’s best player at the moment.
Goran Dragic is having his worst statistical season since becoming a full-time starter and Hassan Whiteside has fought through injuries for much of the season; it’s really sad to think of where this team would be if it hadn’t been for Josh Richardson’s recent tear.
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The Miami Heat’s roster is full inconsistencies, no question, but this team has been longing for one of their young players to separate themselves from the “potential pool.” Just to many expected that player to be Josh Richardson.