If the Miami Heat hope to convince their soon-to-be free-agent point guard to stick around, they may need to pick up the pace.
Goran Dragic, who the Heat dished out two first-round draft picks to acquire at this season's trade deadline, feels strongly that the Heat need to play faster, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
That oughtn't come as a great surprise. Dragic found his calling in an uptempo, transition-oriented offensive system in Phoenix. He joined a Heat team that ranked dead last in the NBA in pace and 29th in fast-break points.
The Heat did speed things up a bit after Dragic's arrival, averaging nearly four additional possessions and four more fast-break points per game. Still, those numbers ranked just 21st and 18th, respectively, a far cry from Dragic's Suns, who ranked second in both categories.
Dragic is developing a reputation for being particular. He chafed at the Suns' implementation of a three-point guard system, which forced him to play off the ball more than made him comfortable and ultimately led to his demanding a trade. The Heat, it seems, are prepared to acquiesce.
According to Jackson, the team's brass - specifically president Pat Riley and head coach Erik Spoelstra - have assured Dragic that greasing the wheels of the Heat's creaky offense is part of their plan for the future. Dragic, who paved the way to his exit from Phoenix by claiming its front office had lost his trust, is likely to hold the Heat to their word.
Dragic has also said he hopes to remain in Miami, and is reportedly fond of both Spoelstra and Riley, so the Heat, until there's any indication to the contrary, remain the presumptive favorites to re-sign him.
