Selected in 44th position in the 2024 Draft, Pelle Larsson is one of the new faces of the Heat, and proof that Pat Riley believes in him, he offered him a real NBA contract, and not a “ two-way contract“. Coming out of Arizona, this Swedish winger is an “old” rookie since he is already 23 years old, and the Heat managers saw in him the potential of a very good “role player”.
“It corresponds to what was announced”, believes Erik Spoelstra . “That’s what’s interesting about the Draft process for the different teams. Each team has its own philosophy, each team values different things. He is a first-rate role player. If you mention this to some franchises, they'll probably think it's horrible. Personally, I think it fits perfectly with our style of play, our culture, the way we view players and the impact they have on winning. »
A “connector” in a group
Author of 10 points this week against the Hornets, Larsson quickly adapted to Heat basketball in which “role players” are valued when they prioritize defense and commitment. “He knows how to defend in several positions” continues Spoelstra. “He brings his physical qualities to this side of the field. In attack, he moves very well without the ball, and he could link up in any five. And then he works very seriously on his shooting. »
Obviously, we shouldn't expect the Swede to join the rotation at the start of the season, but in Miami, we have never hesitated to throw young people into the deep end. “Prove that I can take decisive action” responds Larsson about his preseason goal. “They will never put someone on the field who hasn’t proven. That's the first thing they look for. And if we are able to put open shots, they will be really happy. But the most important thing is to achieve decisive actions, with or without the ball. »
Two-way contract : Designed to create a new bridge between the NBA and the G-League, this type of contract allows each team to secure the services of two or three additional players, to develop them mainly in their affiliated development league franchise but also up to 50 matches in the NBA.
