The Miami Heat returns most of last season’s roster. But there are also a few new (young) faces who will enter the Oct. 1 start of training camp with intriguing potential.
Among those on that list are Heat second-round pick Pelle Larsson and undrafted signing Keshad Johnson. Before becoming Heat teammates this summer, Larsson and Johnson were college teammates at Arizona.
“I think one of the things that makes them impressive prospects is they’re both wired and willing to be great role players,” Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said to the Miami Herald when asked about Larsson and Johnson. “You know, 100 percent of their focus is going to be contributing to the team’s overall success. These aren’t like shoot first, ask questions later type of guys.
“So they’re going to give you a well-rounded effort on both ends of the floor. On offense, they’re going to play their role and stay in their lane. Then defensively and in all the effort areas, they’re going to max that stuff out.”
Larsson, 23, averaged 12.9 points, four rebounds, 3.7 assists and 0.9 steals per game while shooting 52.6 percent from the field and an eye-opening 47 of 110 (42.7 percent) from three-point range in 37 games (37 starts) as a senior at Arizona last season.
Larsson flashed his upside for the Heat during summer league, averaging 15.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 51.2 percent from the field and 6 of 13 (46.2 percent) on threes during his final four summer league appearances. He racked up 28 assists to 16 turnovers, while also contributing 12 steals and drawing multiple charges in his eight summer league games.
The Heat has already signed Larsson to a three-year standard contract that includes a $1.2 million salary for this upcoming season. Larsson is one of 14 players who Miami has signed to standard deals for this season.
Johnson, 23, averaged 11.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists and one steal per game while shooting 52.6 percent from the field and 36 of 93 (38.7 percent) on threes as a senior at Arizona last season. He spent the first four seasons of his college career at San Diego State before transferring to play as a fifth-year senior at Arizona.
Johnson stands at 6-foot-6 and 224 pounds with a 6-foot-10 wingspan, and possesses elite athleticism that produced an eye-opening 42-inch max vertical leap at this year’s NBA Draft Combine. Projected as a three-and-D forward at the NBA level, Johnson shot 7 of 18 (38.9 percent) on threes and racked up nine steals and six blocks during his six summer league games.
The Heat has signed Johnson to a two-way contract that prevents him from being poached by another NBA team. Two-way deals, which pay half the NBA rookie minimum and do not count toward the salary cap or luxury tax, allow for players to be on their NBA team’s active list for as many as 50 regular-season games but do not come with playoff eligibility.
Here’s what else Lloyd had to say about Larsson and Johnson during a recent interview:
After shooting 36 percent from three-point range in his first two seasons at Arizona, Pelle shot 42.7 percent from deep at Arizona last season. What was behind that improvement?
Lloyd: “I think the biggest thing with Pelle and shooting has just been, honestly, getting him comfortable shooting more. I think he’s growing into that. He’s always viewed himself as a well-rounded player and he’s played with other guys who are shooters and scorers, whether they’re inside players or perimeter players. So I think he’s always settled into a role to facilitate and make sure that those guys are getting the shots they need. But there were many times I would go to Pelle and say like, ‘Hey, it would be nice if you tried to score 20 today.’ But honestly, that’s not really how he’s wired. I think he’s growing into that. But I think that’s one of the things that also makes him impressive when you get to coach a guy like that. This is a guy that’s not caught up in that stuff. He’s willing to do the other things and he’s going to take stock when he’s on the floor of who he’s playing with and who needs to be getting shots. He’s not a guy who’s going to be taking bad shots himself just to get an attempt up. He’s going to take good shots within the offense.”
Do you think three-point shooting is the NBA skill that can get Pelle playing time early in his career?
Lloyd: “I think his calling card is going to be being an all-around player. I think if he gets to the point where he’s hunting those threes aggressively and the defense is tight or they close out too aggressive and he can put it on the floor and make a play for someone else, I think he can do that. If he puts it on the floor and the lane opens up, he’s physical enough to get to the rim and finish with athleticism through contact. To me, I see him really having value of being a guy who’s able to make the right play possession by possession, whether that is hunting an open three or creating a driving lane because he’s hunting a three and they close out too aggressively. But I’m not going to put limitations on Pelle. That’s on him and his next coaches to figure out. If they want him shooting 10 threes a game, I think he’s capable of that.”
How do you believe Pelle’s defense will hold up in the NBA?
Lloyd: “I think you guys will be surprised how physical and athletic he is and willing. This is a guy who’s going to take that end of the floor seriously and he’s going to compete. He’s got great size, physicality, instincts. I think he has tremendous potential defensively to guard multiple positions.”
What stood out about Keshad during the one season you coached him?
Lloyd: “First off, Keshad’s character is off the charts. This is a really good person and he’s authentic and he’s genuine. His teammates love him, his coaches love him. I know that’s a cliche, but they really do. I think what’s cool about Keshad is he’s one of these guys who got an extra year in college. He put four good years in at San Diego State. He was probably a late bloomer, not a big-time high-level recruit. He gets there and his effort, energy, athleticism allow him to compete and find a role. That role grew over the course of his career, but the skill never kicked in. So getting that extra year in college for him and he transferred and found a place, he got an opportunity to kind of reinvent himself.
“He gets all the credit. We didn’t know how well he was going to shoot the ball. We thought there was some promise there when we watched him work out and shot with him and stuff. But over the course of the season, we got really comfortable with him sliding out to those corners and shooting threes. I think that’s a translatable skill for him. I think this is a guy who’s going to be a good spot-up three-point shooter, but he’s also an elite athlete. So he can impact the glass, he can impact transition, finishing around the rim and then defensively he has real value. I mean, this is a 6-7 guy who really has a chance to compete defensively with almost anybody on the court.”
Before shooting nearly 40 percent from deep at Arizona last season, Keshad shot just 24.6 percent from three-point range during his four seasons at San Diego State. What was behind Keshad’s improvement as an outside shooter?
Lloyd: “He put in the work. He really simplified his shooting stroke. When you watch Keshad shoot, you feel like it’s got a chance to go in every time. He gets the credit for that. He put in the work. He was willing to open up his mind to different footwork techniques and things like that and put in the work. He had a professional approach.”
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