"Give them a do-over, and they'd surely take back the subtraction of Haywood Highsmighth to clear a roster spot for Dru Smith. Maybe Miami felt like it just had to have Smith (and couldn't keep him on another two-way pact), but that was a clear miscalculation, particularly with Pelle Larsson being at the point where he'll need minutes even when this perimeter group is full-strength."
"The Smith signing, coupled with the Haysmith salary-dump, was always a head-scratcher. Smith, who turns 28 in December, had done very little to prove to the Heat that he definitely belonged in an NBA rotation. Haysmith, meanwhile, had solidified himself as a viable three-and-D wing, an archetype almost always coveted by contenders around the trade deadline. Had the Heat just kept Haysmith around, they could've fetched an actual asset for him later in the season."
"Because Larsson looks, frankly, too important to sit. His scoring punch is hugely helpful to a team that's run short on perimeter offense at times, and his development is even more critical to this franchise's future. Miami might not be in a full-on youth movement, but if it's not quite good enough to contend right now, eventually getting over that hump will require progression from its young players."
Miami traded away Haywood Haysmith to clear a roster spot for Dru Smith, a move that now looks like a miscalculation. The Heat likely prioritized signing Smith but sacrificed a viable three-and-D wing who could have drawn a future asset at the trade deadline. Smith, nearing 28, has shown little to guarantee a rotation role and faces reduced minutes once Tyler Herro returns from surgery. Pelle Larsson's offensive contributions and developmental trajectory make him essential to the rotation, limiting opportunities for Smith. Miami's postseason hopes hinge on progression from young players like Larsson, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Nikola Jovic and Kel'el Ware.
Read at All U Can Heat
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