Steve Mitchell- USA Today Sports
NBA teams looking to create long-term stability and success for their franchise need to have a combination of veteran talent and young athleticism on their roster. The Miami Heat rely heavily on the talents of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh for their success, and these players are no spring chickens. In order for the Heat to maintain long-term success, which equates to more championships, they need to sign young players who they can develop into quality role players. This is where Justin Hamilton comes in.
The Heat organization signed Hamilton to a contract on September 9, thus allowing him to play for a spot on the 15-man roster during training camp. Hamilton’s physical attributes are what make him so appealing to the Heat, being able to play the center position listed at 7’0. The Heat drafted Hamilton originally in 2012 with the 45th pick, but the former LSU player decided to go overseas and get some playing experience in the pro leagues. The numbers that Hamilton averaged while playing for the Tigers were decent, bringing in 12.9 ppg and 7.9 rpg. These numbers definitely wouldn’t translate in the NBA, but this would be due to the minimal minutes he would receive.
The Heat organization is looking for size off the bench, and Hamilton fits that role perfectly. His athleticism is extremely limited, but his offensive game might be enough to compensate for that. Hamilton is an excellent mid range shooter, but also lives around the rim. Because of his 260 pound, 7-foot frame, Hamilton is an average rebounder as well. These are tangibles the Heat would love to have from a young role player, especially at the center position. At this point, it is up to Hamilton to make the final 15-man roster during training camp.
Jared Doyle is a Miami Heat writer for www.RantSports.com.
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