Miami Heat players and the overseas options – NBA Feature (Part 2)
With the lockout in place, player from all across the NBA have been intent on making overseas moves and Miami Heat will not be an exception if the lockout takes toll on the next season and continues to create financial difficulties
for the players.
However, this feature is not about the potential deals or teams with whom the Heat players might sign. In this feature, I will discuss about the Heat players who should utilize this opportunity to venture on the other side of the
Atlantic and those who do not need to indulge in such adventures.
Juwan Howard:
Juwan Howard plays can play both at power forward and centre position for the Miami Heat that acquired him in July 2010. The 38 year old veteran had been in the league since 1994, when he was picked up as 5th overall
by the Washington Wizards.
Howard did well not just as a rookie, but even after that. However, his performance graph started falling long before coming to Miami. The six foot nine had scored with almost an average of 17 points or plus per game since his
rookie season till 2004-05 season with the Orlando Magic.
In the later years Howard failed to maintain that average and because of that he also received a hit on his playing time, which was reduced to below 10 minutes per game after 2007-08 season, later his playing minutes received a
boost, but it didn’t lift his game much. Earlier Howard used to play more than 30 minutes per game.
Howard is definitely in need of playing some competitive basketball because that’s the only way he can enhance his play. As Howard was pretty lethargic in his preceding season with the Heat, during which he had taken part in 57
games and tallied two points and two rebounds per game.
The Heat had used Howard during extending periods in the absence of Udonis Haslem, who endured a foot injury that kept him on the sidelines until the Conference Finals against Chicago Bulls.
However, in this age it’s not possible for Howard to match the pace of the basketball in Europe or anywhere else, as the aged Howard lacks the youth to find his way up and down in the court few minutes after entering the court.
This is the key reason why Miami didn’t increase his playing minutes.
Zydrunas Ilgauskas:
The 36 year Lithuanian national, has a career average of 13 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. However, his previous season was horrific as far as his stats are concerned. Ilgauskas tallied five points, clutched 4.0 rebounds per
game by playing 15.9 minutes in every game. Moreover, this Ilgauskas first season with the Heat after his arrival from Cleveland.
In comparison to Howard, Ilgauskas was given the opportunity to play as a starting centre in most of the game he played with the Heat, but he failed to make an impression. The key reason behind his failure was his poor defence,
which started affecting his offensive play too in the later stages, after which he spent most of his time on the bench especially during the playoffs.
With this kind of play first of all it’s real hard for Ilgauskas’ agent to find a deal for him and even if he is able to find one, it’s wouldn’t be easy for him to make a mark.
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