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Arroyo Signs with the Heat!!!

By Courtney | October 13, 2009

Arroyo: Fancy passes or passing fancy?

> Posted by Ira Winderman on October 13, 2009 02:45 PM

The raves came Tuesday, just as they did a year ago at this time.

Last October, the gushing was about Shaun Livingston’s passing, the way the former first-round pick moved the ball during one particular practice. Less than three months later, Livingston was gone, to now meet the Heat as a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder in Wednesday’s exhibition in Tulsa.

Tuesday, the admiration was for Carlos Arroyo, and the way he moved the ball in just his second practice with the Heat since being added Sunday.

Carlos Arroyo portrait
“He can pass,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “He found guys for easy shots. He’s one of those guys that he makes two or three passes in a session, where you don’t necessarily see it. And he caught some of our guys by surprise. But that’s going to be a good element.

“Carlos has a knack for pick-and-roll basketball and finding guys and getting them in open positions.”

Now, whether one of the most rigid offenses in the league allows for such creativity is another matter. And we’re still not sure how sold management is on Arroyo, who is here on a make-good, non-guaranteed contract.

But it is sort of nice to have a point guard who doesn’t pass from Point A to Point B and then cut to Point C for a potential spot-up jumper.

Sometimes, there has to be more to the offense than give the ball to Dwyane Wade and get the heck out of the way.

“We need to continue to work our system,” Spoelstra said. “But we also need to find easy baskets, and passing guys that have a gift for that helps.”

Hallelujah. You can only watch Hoosiers for so long on this level.

So far, it’s all been good with Arroyo (pictured in a courtesy photo provided by the Heat).

“He’s in phenomenal shape,” Spoelstra said. “He’s an absolute basketball fanatic. I had heard a week ago that he had been playing in city league in Miami, but, also, he’d been playing pick-up ball at the parks.

“I’ve known Carlos pretty well for the last several years and there’s not many more guys who are more of a hoop junkie that he is. He’s always looking to play and keeps himself in great condition.”

There was similar hope last year with Livingston, but never such gushing about Shaun being 100 percent in basketball trim.

No, Arroyo is not a defensive stopper. And yes, he does take a few questionable shots.

But he also can make things happen, which hardly is the worst thing for a team that found that to be a problem both in last season’s playoffs and at the start of this preseason.

“Carlos is a seasoned, clever player,” Spoelstra said. “We did a defensive drill where it was a high pick-and-roll and Carlos, he tests your defense, because he can get in the paint. He’s clever. He sees everything on the floor, but he can also deliver the ball where it’s needed to go.”

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