Norris Cole Should Be the Starting PG for the Miami Heat

By Jared Doyle @outofboundsjay on October 7, 2014

Mario Chalmers has more or less been the starting point guard of the Miami Heat franchise for the last six years of his career, but all of that could come to a close with the start of this upcoming season. Chalmers played horrendously throughout the 2014 NBA Finals, and with the rise of other younger guards on the roster, Chalmers could be faced with a new role for this team, and that’s playing for the second unit.

Some would argue that the Heat’s diligence in signing Chalmers this summer during free agency is a sign that he will remain the starting point guard for the Heat heading into this season, but so far, even with the small sample size we have from preseason and training camp, Norris Cole has outplayed Chalmers on both ends of the court. Cole brings a ferocious tenacity to his on-ball defense, especially against opposing point guards. This is something Chalmers hasn’t been able to provide on a consistent basis, and it could be one of the major turning points in his delegation to the second unit.

The biggest argument against Cole starting has been his lack of an offensive touch, but if you compare the numbers of both Chalmers and Cole last season, they are not far off. Chalmers averaged 9.8 points, 2.9 rebounds and 4.9 assists on 45 percent shooting from the field and 38 percent from beyond the arc last year, while Cole averaged 6.4 points, 2.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists on 41 percent from the field and 34 percent from beyond the arc. Cole also averaged far fewer minutes than Chalmers, so these numbers are almost equitable.

Cole’s defense would be a huge spark for the starting lineup, especially with the departure of LeBron James, and having Chalmers’ offense off the bench would also be a huge boost for the second unit. Coach Erik Spoelstra would be wise to give this scenario a fighting chance. Cole could prove to be the starting point guard the Heat have always wanted.

Jared Doyle is a Miami Heat writer for www.RantSports.com.

Follow him on Twitter @outofboundsjay, “Like” him on

Facebook or add him to your network on Google