MIAMI – As the Miami Heat take on a loaded Eastern Conference this season, one aspect about them that remains interesting is NBA Draft selections Kel’el Ware and Pelle Larsson in the first and second rounds respectively. Before the Heat took on the New York Knicks Wednesday night, head coach Erik Spoelstra sent a message to the rookies who are eager to get on the floor amidst a lack of playing time.
While there is no denying the talent of both Ware and Larsson, they are first-year players on the path to development, but there have been fans wondering why they aren’t getting more minutes. In any sense, Spoelstra would to say to ClutchPoints that the team is “committed” to improving them every day and for them to “understand the big picture.”
“It’s happening , it’s all encompassing. We’re fully committed,” Spoelstra said. “Yesterday was a terrific day for both of them. Really got after it, and of course, we worked them hard, but they played well, they’re making progress, and that’s what we’ve told them. We’re going to commit every single day to their improvement, and they’re committed to that process. Understand the big picture. But that big picture could also be, you know, at any time they could they could be thrown in a game.”
Heat’s Erik Spoelstra continues his message for rookies
Spoelstra has dropped glowing reviews of the two rookies before, but there could be some hesitancy in putting them out on the court when they aren’t ready. However, he would use an example of Alec Burks and Haywood Highsmith on the team who don’t get a boatload of minutes, but when they do, they’re impactful.
“The example of AB [Burks] and H [Highsmith] in back to back games is what we spelled out for Pelle and Kel’el, that you put in this time,” Spoelstra said. “Our number one commitment to them is development. Fast Track the development, get them comfortable in our system, but improve every single day, and it won’t be linear, that improvement, but you’re talking about a 14 year vet who didn’t play in game one, and all of a sudden, game two had an impact. Alec played really well and ended up playing down the stretch, but he was a major part of that win, and then all sudden, he’s the first sub in the first half, and the second half doesn’t play, and then that ends up being H.”
Both Ware and Larsson only played six minutes in the regular season, all in the opening loss to the Orlando Magic when the team was down big late in the game, albeit only being three contests. Ware and Larsson impressed during the summer league stint that ended with a title win where the latter even made the game-winning shot.
Ware especially is one fans want to see more of because of size at seven-foot and athleticism that would give more the team more length. As for Larsson, Spoelstra has even said that he has the making of being an “elite role player” as he came out of the University of Arizona.
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Heat’s Erik Spoelstra wants rookies to stay ready to be ready
What’s important for them to know is that Spoelstra wants both to stay ready so they can be ready which is a phrase he repeats as Burks and Highsmith define that aspect.
“So when you say you have to stay ready, so you’re always ready. Well, that’s an example,” Spoelstra said. “Sometimes you don’t know when your opportunity is going to come. You have to prepare for it, and then whenever your number is called, the whole idea when you’re coming off the bench is change the energy of the game. And both guys did it in back to back games in a different way. H only played seven minutes and change, but those were impactful minutes. It changed the tenor of that quarter and maybe somebody else tonight.The more guys you have that can wrap their mind around that and can produce in those circumstances with a very deep bench we feel like we have, the better your team can be.”
At any rate, the Heat look to win three straight against the Knicks before traveling to Mexico to take on the Washington Wizards on Saturday, Nov. 2.