Heat Notes: Johnson, Whiteside, Winslow

James Johnson is thriving in a reserve role with the Heat, the veteran’s fifth team in eight years, after he chose Miami in free agency following an interesting sales pitch, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel relays. Erik Spoelstra, Winderman writes, told Johnson, 29, to improve his shape and diet and in return the Heat would be afford him an opportunity to make the most out of his talents. Johnson, known as a solid perimeter defender, is averaging 9.9 points per game, which would be a career-high over the course of a single season.

Here is more out of Miami:

  • Hassan Whiteside likes the idea that Pat Riley envisions the offense going through him in a year or two, but he needs to stop turning the ball over as much as has for that to work,” Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes.
  • Spoelstra will have a decision or two on his hands regarding the starting lineup and minutes when Justise Winslow makes his imminent return, Jackson writes in a seperate story. The coach could opt to have Winslow return to small forward with Josh McRoberts or he can shift Winslow to power forward, Jackson notes. Jackson also floats the idea that Winslow could come off the bench.
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