Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported on Friday that Victor Oladipo could return to the Heat lineup as soon as the second week of March. Oladipo has yet to appear in a game this season due to his quad surgery and only played in four games for Miami last season. While this news may sound exciting to Heat fans, the question remains which version of Oladipo the team will be getting upon his return. Will it be the Oladipo who won Most Improved in 2018 and was a two-time All-Star? Or will it be the more conservative Oladipo who we’ve seen as recently as last season?
While Oladipo’s defensive ability is not questioned, his consistency and efficiency on offense has varied over the years. In 2018, his first year in Indiana, he shot his best percentage from the field of his career. He hit 47.7% of his shots as well as 37.1% of his threes a game. Oladipo averaged 23.1 points, 4.3 assists, and 2.4 steals per game, showing his dominance on both ends of the floor. In addition to winning Most Improved Player and making the All-Star team that year, Oladipo also was named to the All-NBA 3rd Team.
After a number of injuries, Oladipo has yet to get back to that level of efficiency. In 33 games last season, Oladipo averaged 19.8 points, 4.6 assists, and hit only 32.6% of his threes. In his four games with the Heat, his three-point percentage was even worse, dipping down to 23.5% on 4.3 attempts per game. To Oladipo’s credit, he had to play for three different teams last season (Indiana, Houston, Miami), and adjust his style of play accordingly. While Oladipo may not be the same player he was in his prime, there’s no question his defensive presence and shot creation will be huge for the Heat come playoff time.
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