Kyle Anderson has impressed since joining the Miami Heat at the Feb. 6 trade deadline. The veteran forward was part of the trade that saw Jimmy Butler head to the Golden State Warriors.
Since moving to South Beach, Anderson has played in 23 games. During those outings, he’s averaged 6.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists. Furthermore, he’s begun to grow into a lead ball-handling role within the Heat’s second unit.
Head coach Erik Spoelstra recently told Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald that Anderson’s quirky style of play has begun to unlock things for his roster.
“Kyle is giving us something different,” Spoelstra said. “He’s a point guard. So he can set the table, he can control tempo, he can control and manipulate the defense. He can do it from the point guard position, he can do it from the low post. He just has a knack for those kind of plays and nuances. And we want to lean into that. Because it seems like a good fit right now with that second unit for him to be able to just kind of manipulate and orchestrate with his experience and IQ.”
Miami is severely short on ball-handlers. Having a veteran forward such as Anderson, who can control the tempo and initiate the offense is vital for the success of the team’s bench unit.
“I’m grateful that we have Kyle because he does a lot of good things to help you win,” Spoelstra said.
Kyle Anderson Backs Heat’s Tyler Herro for Award
During a recent discussion with Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinal, Kyle Anderson spoke glowingly of Tyler Herro. The veteran forward dropped some subtle hints as to why Herro should be in the running for the Most Improved Player award.
“Cade Cunningham? Stop giving it to No. 1 and No. 2 picks,” Anderson said. “They’re doing what they’re supposed to be doing…He’s (Herro) getting off the ball a lot earlier than when I first got here. He’s taken his game to another level this year. And it’s fun to watch. It’s super impressive.”
Herro has been one of the Heat’s most reliable players this season. He is arguably the best building block Spoelstra has, as the Heat continue to project as a team in dire need of a full-scale rebuild.
Spolestra Recently Explained Herro’s Improvements
During a March 29 postgame news conference, Spolestra dissected the improvements Herro has made to his game this season.
“He’s playing so patiently without the ball,” Spoelstra said. “It’s really slowing down for him. The more aggressive you are, he’ll play off the ball. He’s playing less and less, bringing the ball up the court and running an angle pick and roll; he’s playing off a catch, playing off overreactions. He’s so skilled; if you are getting him on the move like that, he’s a handful. And he’s burning a lot less calories doing it as well. Guys are getting comfortable getting him the ball when he’s on the move.”
Regardless of whether Herro wins Most Improved or not, he’s given the Heat fanbase a reason to remain excited heading into the summer. However, it’s on Pat Riley to make sure Herro and Bam Adebayo aren’t tasked with spearheading Spoelstra’s team next season.
