Mailbag: Will 2020 All-Star Weekend be the Miami Heat’s weekend?
The Miami Herald Heat mailbag is here to answer your questions.
If you weren’t able to ask this time, send your questions for future mailbags via Twitter (@Anthony_Chiang). You can also email them to achiang@miamiherald.com.
Joseph, Miami Lakes: Is All-Star Weekend going to be full of Heat players? Seems like there could be a Heat player in every event.
Anthony Chiang: Yes, All-Star Weekend could end up as the Heat’s weekend in Chicago from Feb. 14-16. Let’s run through the list.
The Rising Stars game, which includes first- and second-year players, will almost definitely include Heat rookies Tyler Herro and Kendrick Nunn. Second-year Heat forward Duncan Robinson is a candidate, too, as he entered Thursday ranked in the top 10 in threes made this season.
The Skills Challenge, which includes guards and frontcourt players, could include Heat big man Bam Adebayo. After all, Adebayo is averaging the second-most assists in the league among centers at 4.6 per game this season.
The Three-Point Contest? Robinson has the numbers to qualify for this one.
As for the Slam Dunk Contest, Heat forward Derrick Jones Jr. has the high-flying reputation to get an invite. The question is, will Jones be healthy enough to participate? Jones was expected to be part of the event last season, but a right knee bone bruise ended that possibility. And he has already missed 14 of the Heat’s first 30 games this season because of multiple injuries.
The All-Star Game could have two Heat players in it, with Jimmy Butler and Adebayo both making strong cases to be selected. Butler is looking for his fifth All-Star appearance and Adebayo is looking for his first trip to the game. Voting began Wednesday at 11 a.m., with Butler listed as a frontcourt player. If Butler and/or Adebayo don’t make it in as starters, they both can be voted in as reserves. Conference head coaches vote for the All-Star reserves.
The Heat will probably be represented in Friday’s Rising Stars game. The Heat will probably be represented in some capacity on All-Star Saturday Night. And the Heat will probably be represented in the All-Star Game.
It should be a busy, and fun, weekend for the organization.
@Your90sBaby: Why has James Johnson played next to zero minutes this season?
Anthony: With a frontcout rotation of Adebayo, Meyers Leonard, Kelly Olynyk, Chris Silva and Jones, the Heat has had more than enough to get by without Johnson up to this point. It doesn’t help that Johnson began the season by being sent away from the team for the first 10 days of training camp and the preseason after failing to meet the Heat’s conditioning requirements.
The 32-year-old Johnson has played in just six of the Heat’s first 30 games this season. He has not played in 13 consecutive games.
This story was originally published December 26, 2019 at 11:13 AM.
