DENVER
James Johnson missed training camp, the entire preseason and wasn’t even on the active roster for the first four games of the season.Instead, the Heat forward spent the past month working toward meeting the team’s conditioning standards regarding body fat and weight. But Johnson, 32, spent Sunday showing how he can help the Heat this season with his playmaking ability and defensive versatility.
Making his season debut in Sunday’s blowout win over the Rockets, Johnson finished with 17 points while shooting 7 of 12 from the field and 2 of 5 on threes, four rebounds and three assists. It marked his first NBA game since last season’s April 10 finale against the Nets.
“Like riding a bike,” Johnson said following his debut when asked what it felt like to play again.
Johnson’s offensive performance was encouraging, considering he scored 17 or more points in only three games last season. But it’s his versatility on the defensive end that really can help the Heat, with the 6-7, 240-pound Johnson defending multiple positions against the Rockets, including speedy All-Star guard Russell Westbrook.
Among the Heat’s frontcourt rotation of Bam Adebayo, Meyers Leonard, Kelly Olynyk and Johnson, Adebayo and Johnson are the only ones who can comfortably switch on to perimeter players while also holding their own against bigger players.
That’s where J.J. can really be dynamic for us, his ability to use his versatility defensively,” coach Erik Spoelstra said, with the Heat set to begin a three-game West Coast trip Tuesday against the Nuggets. “When he just goes all-in on that, he can help us. And then facilitate and help the offense on the other end. But he can be that ‘Swiss Army knife’ guy that we can put him on a lot of different guys. At his best version, he can guard a lot of guys in this league and keep guys in front of him.”
If defense is going to be Johnson’s path to consistent minutes, he’s ready to provide that.
“If that’s what it takes for me to get on the floor, then I’m going to do that,” he said. “But at the end of the day, I’m going to play basketball. Play my game and play within our team.”
Johnson was away from the team for the first 10 days of training camp and the preseason after failing to meet the Heat’s conditioning requirements. He was sent away on the eve of training camp on Sept. 30 and did not return to the team until Oct. 11.
Since then, Johnson has been a part of practices. But he had remained separate from the team on game nights until making his first appearance on the active roster in Thursday’s road win over the Hawks and then making his season debut Sunday.
“Not at all. I had goals to meet,” Johnson said when asked if it was a challenge to remain patient. “I think that took a lot of my patience and humbling. You just have to let it be known when you get your time.”Before the conditioning issue, there was optimism that a full healthy offseason would lead to a rejuvenated Johnson. And Sunday showed that optimism shouldn’t dissipate yet.
Johnson missed the first 15 games of last season because of May 2018 sports hernia surgery, and eventually lost his spot in the starting lineup and at one point even fell out of the rotation. He finished with averages of 7.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists while shooting 43.3 percent from the field and 33.6 percent from from three-point range in 55 games (33 starts).
Johnson is in the third season of a four-year, $60 million free agent deal he signed with the Heat in the summer of 2017. With a 2019-20 salary of $15.3 million, he’s the third-highest paid player on Miami’s roster behind only Jimmy Butler ($32.7 million) and Goran Dragic ($19.2 million).
“It’s normal,” Johnson said of getting on the court Sunday. “Buying in, doing what I’m supposed to do every day in practice and staying locked in mentally. When the opportunity is given, take advantage.”
The opportunity was there Sunday. The question is: Will Johnson still be a part of the Heat’s rotation when forwards Justise Winslow (lower back tightness), Derrick Jones Jr. (left groin strain) and KZ Okpala (left Achillies strain) return from injury?
Whatever happens, Johnson made clear he will stay ready.
“Just stay mentally locked in,” he said. “Go through my scouting reports, go through my preparation like if I’m going to play 40 minutes.”
▪ Heat guard Dion Waiters was on the active roster for the first time this season Sunday against the Rockets. But Waiters was not on the team’s bench during the game. He was instead working out in the team’s weight room.
Waiters has not played in a game since serving his one-game suspension in the Oct. 23 season opener for “conduct detrimental to the team.” He returned to practice Wednesday and also practiced with the team Saturday.
Waiters is expected to travel with the team to Denver on Monday for the start of the Heat’s three-game West Coast trip.
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