Most might have thought that the Miami Heat had enough firepower, but apparently not, as 3-point expert Mike Bibby will soon join the Heat roster, having reached a buyout agreement with the Washington Wizards. The Heat released Carlos Arroyo, thus freeing up a position; according to ESPN, Bibby is to clear waivers at 6 p.m. ET on Wednesday.
What does this mean for Miami, who now sits two games behind the Boston Celtics for first in the East? A steady point-guard. Even though Dwayne Wade (shooting guard), LeBron James (small forward), and Chris Bosh (power forward) are theoretically capable of helping with this position, they'll be busy enough fending off people like Kevin Garnett and Dwight Howard to worry about anything more than doing their own jobs.
As ESPN notes, Bibby has been averaging a career-best 44.1 percent from 3-point range, which looks vastly better than Arroyo’s average of 5.6 points and 2 assists.
It’s not that Arroyo and occasional starter Mario Chalmers have been bad point-guards—it’s just that, in comparison, Bibby is far more experienced, and experience is what you want in clutch moments in high-pressure games against smart, strong teams.
Look at the point-guards for the top teams in the East: Boston’s wicked-fast Rajon Rondo, New York’s newly-acquired veteran Chauncey Billups, Chicago’s rumored MVP Derrick Rose—all reasons for the Heat to polish that position, which they have done with this trade.
The scoring and the experience Bibby will bring could be the difference between the Heat finishing second, or winning the East and earning home-court advantage in the upcoming playoffs.
What does this mean for Miami, who now sits two games behind the Boston Celtics for first in the East? A steady point-guard. Even though Dwayne Wade (shooting guard), LeBron James (small forward), and Chris Bosh (power forward) are theoretically capable of helping with this position, they'll be busy enough fending off people like Kevin Garnett and Dwight Howard to worry about anything more than doing their own jobs.
As ESPN notes, Bibby has been averaging a career-best 44.1 percent from 3-point range, which looks vastly better than Arroyo’s average of 5.6 points and 2 assists.
It’s not that Arroyo and occasional starter Mario Chalmers have been bad point-guards—it’s just that, in comparison, Bibby is far more experienced, and experience is what you want in clutch moments in high-pressure games against smart, strong teams.
Look at the point-guards for the top teams in the East: Boston’s wicked-fast Rajon Rondo, New York’s newly-acquired veteran Chauncey Billups, Chicago’s rumored MVP Derrick Rose—all reasons for the Heat to polish that position, which they have done with this trade.
The scoring and the experience Bibby will bring could be the difference between the Heat finishing second, or winning the East and earning home-court advantage in the upcoming playoffs.
