Welcome to Hot Or Not, our weekly column where we take a look at some players on the Miami Heat whose stock is rising or falling. This week, we’re taking stock of Dru Smith and Thomas Bryant, who have earned spots in the nightly rotation.
No player had a better week than Dru Smith, who was promoted to the 15-man roster after the preseason. In four preseason games, Smith totaled 26 points, 21 assists, and just 12 turnovers. He also had seven steals. Coach Erik Spoelstra has praised Smith on multiple occasions for his decision-making and ability to get the Heat on offense.
Most of Smith’s work is unspectacular, and that’s meant in a good way. He dribbles the ball up the court with pace and makes simple passes to Miami’s best scorers. There are no frills. Just yeoman work.
But every once in a while, he’ll be part of a highlight. Against the Nets last week, Smith qued up a dribble handoff with Jamal Cain that flowed into a pick-and-roll. The next thing anyone knew, Cain was floating above the Brooklyn defense for an alley-oop.
Smith drives the tempo like Kyle Lowry and is a superior passer than Gabe Vincent. In that regard, he functions as a genuine point guard and serves as Miami’s primary backup to Lowry.
Smith’s scoring efficiency is one aspect of his game that has to be addressed. After shooting 40% overall the previous season, he only shot 30.3% overall in the preseason. He had trouble finishing at the hoop and hardly ever made a 3-pointer. Smith will have to convert if he wants to be on the team for the long run because defenses won’t dare him to shoot.
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