MIAMI — Amid the in-the-moment upgrade with the acquisition of Terry Rozier, Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra took umbrage to the notion that a white flag of sorts has been raised in a tradeoff of offense over defense.
In Rozier, Spoelstra said, the Heat can have it both ways, that the 29-year-old veteran can help keep the Heat afloat defensively at a time that the Heat’s offense has gone from bad to awful.
“First,” Spoelstra said, “you have to have that competitiveness and that toughness. He checks both those boxes. It matters to him. And he was part of some really tough defensive teams in Boston, when he was able to guard three positions and really compete at a high level.”
To Spoelstra, you don’t play under Rick Pitino, Brad Stevens and Steve Clifford without being pushed toward a defensive mindset.
“He’s been coached by very good defensive coaches starting in college, Pitino, Brad and then Steve demands a lot of the defensive end,” Spoelstra said, with Rozier going from Wednesday night’s Heat debut in the loss to the visiting Memphis Grizzlies to Thursday night’s nationally televised game against the Boston Celtics at Kaseya Center. “So he knows how important it is for us here.”
The confidence in Rozier’s debut was such that Spoelstra had the 6-foot-1 guard on the court against the Grizzlies alongside Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson, players who also have had their defense questioned over the years.
“I think he has enough of a foundation over the course of his career that he’ll be able to impact on that side of the floor,” Spoelstra said. “And for whatever reason, people don’t view him as a defender. I’ve found that strange, because that’s how I’ve viewed him. And I think he’ll fit in very well with our system.”
But Spoelstra said with precepts as detailed as what the Heat practice, that will take time. Rozier’s only drilling with the Heat to this point has been the scant minutes of a game-night walkthrough mere hours before tip. That won’t change with the Heat traveling Friday for a Saturday game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
“Defensively,” Spoelstra said, “I think once he gets accustomed to how we do things, I think he can be very disruptive. He’s a physical defender. He’s got long arms. I think he really creates some havoc on that end of the court.
“And that’ll take some time. While it takes some time, we just have to figure out how to win some games in the process.”
The whirlwind for Rozier began with Tuesday’s trade from the Charlotte Hornets for Kyle Lowry and a first-round pick, an arrival that evening in Miami, and then the typical post-trade round of league requirements that did not make the deal official until shortly before Wednesday’s tip of the loss to the Grizzlies that extended the Heat’s losing streak to four.
“I mean,” Spoelstra said, “it’s tough to go through 24 hours of a battery of physicals and doctors appointments, and just change of life. I’m not making any excuse for the guy, but this is this business we’re in. But it’s not easy, and I think you see the possibilities there.”
A loss was not the preferred starting point, but Rozier said the whirlwind was undeniable. The only other time he was traded in his career came in the offseason, when he went from the Celtics to the Hornets on July 6, 2019 in a sign-and-trade transaction for Kemba Walker.
“It’s going to take a little time,” he said after closing with nine points on 3-of-11 shooting, five assists, four rebounds and three turnovers in 29:24 in his Heat debut. “You don’t expect things to be perfect on day one. I felt good playing with those guys. As time goes on, things will get way easier.”
Because, he said, it’s not the same as it was with the lottery-bound Hornets.
“Just more togetherness,” he said of his initial Heat impression. “Over here, you’re just playing basketball, playing off one another. I’ll be fine. I’ll be fine. Day one, things don’t get judged off one day. I’ll be alright, figure it out.”
So, yes, a more complex defensive system, but one that merely needs to be fully digested.
“Again, as I keep mentioning, it’s not going to happen in one day,” he said. “Just making sure I understand that, making sure I’m not hard on myself and just figuring this thing out.”