Heat teammates want slumping Dragic to be more aggressive
The Miami Heat have a lot invested in point guard Goran Dragic, having dealt two first-round draft picks to acquire him in the middle of his walk year a season ago, before re-signing him for another five years and $85 million in the summer.
And so there's been some justifiable consternation building as Dragic has continued to struggle to find his footing in Miami. He was fine but not great after coming over from the Phoenix Suns at last season's trade deadline, but, so far, this season has been his worst since he became a full-time starter in 2012-13.
He's averaging 10.9 points and five assists, shooting 43.1 percent from the field, and 28.8 percent from long range, while producing a 12.1 PER. As backcourt partner Dwyane Wade sees it, Dragic might be hesitating too much when presented with opportunities to score.
"Shoot the (darn) ball, that's what I told him," Wade said after Sunday's narrow win over the Memphis Grizzlies - in which Dragic turned the ball over five times and shot just 3-of-14, including 0-of-5 from deep - according to ESPN's Israel Gutierrez.
"... I know what he was seeing. The Memphis defense, whoever was guarding the (opposite) corner guy, he would come all the way off (his man) and get in the paint. So when (Dragic) was driving, it wasn't an easy shot. And then you get out of rhythm sometimes.
"But I still want him to think aggressive. When I'm penetrating and I kick it to him, be ready to shoot. He needs to hear that we want him to be aggressive, we want him to shoot the ball - at the right times."
Dragic, an All-NBA third teamer and the league's Most Improved Player in 2013-14, has struggled to adapt to a new system, which is understandable, if still disconcerting given he's now had 48 games, plus a full training camp, in which to get familiar.
He thrived in the Suns' uptempo attack, making hay in the open court or driving and kicking in a spacious half-court offense. The Heat, though, lack the shooting to stretch the floor the way Phoenix did. And despite Dragic's pleas in the offseason, Miami still plays at a plodding pace, ranking 26th in the league in possessions per game.
He's had to share ball-handling duties, which is the biggest reason he ultimately begged out of Phoenix last season, and his usage rate is currently his lowest since his rookie season.
"The struggle, it happens," said Chris Bosh, who had to make his own adjustments when he signed with the Heat as a free agent in 2010. "You can either keep fighting it or you can kind of let it get to you. If you see it affecting a teammate, just say something. Guys have to know that we have confidence in him every time he's on the court.
"He's our point guard and he needs to play well, and we're going to encourage him to do that."