The Miami Heat Sign Tyler Johnson To A 10-Day Contract

Jan 25, 2014; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Fresno State Bulldogs guard Tyler Johnson dribbles into the UNLV Runnin

On Monday, the Miami Heat signed the Sioux Falls Skyforce’s Tyler Johnson to a 10-day contract. Since January 5th, which marked the first day of the season that NBA teams could sign players to such contracts, Johnson is the fourth Development League prospect to receive a call-up.

Johnson joined the Heat after failing to hear his name called in the 2014 NBA Draft and went on to be one of their leading scorers during the Orlando and Las Vegas Summer League. He also performed well in his lone preseason game, totalling 17 points in an overtime victory against the San Antonio Spurs. It wasn’t enough for the 6-foot-4 guard to secure a roster spot, though — he was amongst the Heat’s final roster cuts heading into the 2014-2015 season. Nevertheless, the Heat have kept a close eye on the dynamic scorer thanks to the affiliate rule, which gave them full control of his D-League rights.

Johnson suffered a groin injury three games into the season, forcing him to sit nearly three weeks worth of action. Yet since returning, he has played an instrumental role in the Skyforce’s ascent up the Central Division rankings. With Johnson in uniform, they are 8-and-5 on the season. Without him, they are 2-and-5. In the 13 games the Fresno State product has appeared in, he has posted averages of 18.5 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists, doing so shooting 47.7 percent from the field and 46.3 percent from three.

While the recently waived Andre Dawkins is more of a specialist — despite shooting 16.7 percent from 3-point range with the Heat, he proved to be a reliable outside threat in his four years as a Duke Blue Devil — Johnson is capable of scoring in a number of ways. He’s best suited as a two-guard, given his ability to stretch the floor and slash to the rim. Of his 174 field goal attempts on the season, 106 have been taken outside of the paint. He’s developed into a dead-eye perimeter shooter for the Skyforce and proven capable of pulling-up off the bounce when defenders aggressively close out on him.

The Heat are also drawn to Johnson’s defensive potential as a wreak-havoc guard. One of his best defensive performances on the season came on December 18th against the Los Angeles D-Fenders, when he helped limit one of the D-League’s elite scorers in Manny Harris to 20 points on 22 shot attempts. Johnson matched Harris step for step, cutting off lanes to the basket and getting a hand in his face on shot attempts.

Only the Cleveland Cavaliers and Utah Jazz have bench units scoring less points per game than the Miami Heat, according to Hoops Stats. They are also wearing thin in the backcourt. While Dwyane Wade’s knees continue to degenerate, Norris Cole, Mario Chalmers and Shabazz Napier rotate between filling the guard positions.

In Johnson, the Heat have another body to soak up backcourt minutes and someone with the potential to compliment both Chris Bosh and Wade. It could just be what they need to get back on track.