9 Heat role players that regressed after leaving Miami

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Erik Spoelstra is one of the best coaches in the NBA. In fact, it’s quite baffling that the Heat coach has yet to win a single NBA Coach of the Year Award. However, Spoelstra does have a net worth of $14 million thanks to his success as an NBA coach.

One of the things that make Spoelstra great is his ability to utilize his under-the-radar role players and allow them to flourish within his system. But while these role players thrived in Miami, more often than not, it was a different story when they played elsewhere.

According to reports, even NBA scouts agree that role players tend to overperform for the two-time NBA champion coach. Here’s a look at nine Heat role players that regressed after leaving Miami.

Gabe Vincent

I just know Gabe Vincent would have 20+ points if he were still in Miami right now pic.twitter.com/6dPngKvxJL

— Lakers All Day Everyday (@LADEig) April 25, 2024

Gabe Vincent’s stint with the Los Angeles Lakers has been disappointing, especially after being a key player for the Heat in the 2020 and 2023 NBA Finals. But since joining the Lakers, Vincent suffered a knee injury and has only played for the Lakers in 11 games in the regular season and five in the playoffs. Vincent also registered his lowest numbers since his rookie season.

Josh Richardson

Josh Richardson on his struggles since being traded away from Miami:

"Everywhere is not going to be the best fit, so that's not a knock on anybody… I'm excited to show everybody that [Boston] hopefully is a good fit." pic.twitter.com/0Py62EcXjR

— Guy Boston Sports (@GuyBostonSports) October 1, 2021

Josh Richardson certainly had his best seasons in Miami. In the 2018-2019 season, his final year with the Heat, Richardson averaged a career-high 16.6 points per game on 45% shooting from the field.

After that, he bounced around several NBA teams, failing to find another home or to at least match his numbers in Miami. In fact, Richardson managed to find his way back to the Heat for the 2023-2024 season, but in his age 30 season, he wasn’t able to recapture the player he was previously under Spoelstra.

Mario Chalmers

Mario Chalmers was a the main point guard for the Miami Heat’s Big Three era that went on to win back-to-back NBA championships in four-consecutive Finals appearances. But after several years in Miami, Chalmers took his act to Memphis.

However, after one good season with the Grizzlies, an Achilles tendon injury slowed him down. Shortly after, Chalmers would never return to the NBA again.

Willie Reed

Clippers center Willie Reed arrested Sunday morning on domestic-violence charge in Miami. https://t.co/WTUkmce841pic.twitter.com/p3uHA3ZemT

— theScore (@theScore) August 6, 2017

Heat fans were excited about Willie Reed’s presence off the bench. Thanks to his hustle, Reed worked his way into becoming a reliable backup big man. Unfortunately, his fraudulent agent Christian Dawkins of  ASM Sports advised the promising big man to turn down a $15 million contract.

Since blowing off the potential lucrative deal that would’ve set him up in the NBA, Reed’s career quickly went south in stints with the Detroit Pistons and Los Angeles Clippers. It wasn’t long as well before Reed was arrested for an alleged domestic violence incident.

Tyler Johnson

Suns are waiving Tyler Johnson, per @wojespnpic.twitter.com/SSeeX1iYRZ

— Bleacher Report NBA (@BR_NBA) February 10, 2020

In his first few years in the NBA, Tyler Johnson shined pretty bright for the Heat. In fact, he played good enough that the franchise rewarded him with a four-year, $50 million contract. However, after he was traded to Phoenix, it was the beginning of the decline of his NBA career.

Due to injuries and shooting slumps, Johnson failed to thrive for the Phoenix Suns and the New Jersey Nets. He extended his NBA career with a pair of 10-day contracts with the Philadelphia 76ers and the San Antonio Spurs in the 2021-2022 season before leaving the league.

Justise Winslow

After the Heat drafted Justise Winslow in the first round with the 10th-overall pick, ahead of Devin Booker, Winslow shined bright for Miami. In fact, Winslow showed that he could be an important building piece for the franchise’s future.

However, after a stint with Miami, Winslow struggled with alcoholism and mental health concerns. With exception to a decent stint with the Blazers, Winslow was never the same before exiting the NBA.

Dewayne Dedmon

Dewayne Dedmon recalled practicing at PCOM during his 11-game stint with the Sixers in 2014. "I like this. This whole thing's really nice," he said of their current practice facility.

He said of the team he played with at that time: "We were processing the process." https://t.co/sWTQB5eUv6

— Sam DiGiovanni (@BySamDiGiovanni) February 15, 2023

Dewayne Dedmon pretty much had a solid NBA career, highlighted as well with a productive backup stint to Bam Adebayo for the Heat. But after leaving the Heat, Dedmon struggled to earn minutes with the Sixers. Moreover, Dedmon only suited up in eight games with forgettable numbers. As a result, he eventually took his talents to the NBA G-League.

Kendrick Nunn

Before Gabe Vincent, the Lakers had Kendrick Nunn. Nunn was a force to be reckoned with in Miami, even helping them in their 2020 Finals run. Impressed with Nunn’s play, the Lakers took a chance on Nunn, who was also plagued with injuries.

The former Heat player eventually played for the Purple and Gold for 39 games and struggled mightily. His struggles forced the Lakers to send him to Washington. Afterwards, Nunn eventually extended his professional basketball career overseas.

Hassan Whiteside

Hassan Whiteside had his best years in the NBA with Miami. He averaged monster double-doubles and led the NBA in blocks twice. Whiteside impressed so much that he even bagged a four-year max deal worth $98 million.

But despite massive numbers, Whiteside’s individual production hardly translated to team success. This forced the Heat to let Whiteside go. Although he had one last solid season with the Blazers, the 7-foot big man eventually fell off with the Sacramento Kings and Utah Jazz.

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