Pelle

Larsson

Highsmith fell ill during Sunday’s game. He played 19 minutes and went scoreless with five rebounds, three assists, one steal, and two blocked shots. His absence resulted in more minutes for Pelle Larsson, who scored 14 points in the first three quarters. The second-round pick could be in for more rotation minutes if Highsmith misses time.

Highsmith didn’t record any defensive stats on Friday, but the points and 3-pointers were solid. More noteworthy than the stats were him playing 35 minutes and starting the third quarter, as did rookie Pelle Larsson (five points, two rebounds, two assists, and one 3-pointer in 14 minutes). Highsmith and Larsson stepped in for Jimmy Butler and Nikola Jovic, with the former suffering a sprained ankle during the first quarter. If Butler can’t play against the Timberwolves on Sunday, Highsmith will have added fantasy value, potentially as a starter.

Jaquez missed Miami’s last two games, and his absence freed up additional minutes for rookie Pelle Larsson. Nikola Jovic’s decrease in minutes has also helped Larsson from a playing time standpoint. There’s no need to stream Larsson, especially if Jaquez plays in Denver.

Both guys missed Monday’s game, though Love has yet to play at all this season. Josh Richardson and Alec Burks should once again soak up the reserve minutes on the wing, while Nikola Jovic and Pelle Larsson will fill out some of the frontcourt minutes. Larsson is coming off playing 25 minutes in their last game, though he has largely been stuck on the bench this season.

Larsson was another Heat player who benefitted from most of the team’s expected key contributors getting Friday night off. The second-round pick out of Arizona didn’t shoot the ball well in Memphis, but his competitiveness continues to make a positive impression. Larsson may not get the minutes needed to impact fantasy basketball to start the season, but he’s worth selecting in dynasty league drafts.

Larsson set the tone for the Heat on Monday, getting off to a hot start before foul trouble forced him to the bench. While the fouls and turnovers (five) weren’t great, the second-round pick played well overall, with the title being a fitting capper to Larsson’s summer. He’s a player the Heat expect to contribute this season; the question is whether or not the minutes will be enough for Larsson to achieve fantasy relevance. At a minimum, he’s worth tracking during the preseason, and Jimmy Butler’s recent availability issues may also boost the former Arizona guard’s fantasy value.

Larsson has agreed to a three-year contract, so he’ll have every opportunity to compete for playing time when training camp begins. The second-round pick out of Arizona has played well in Las Vegas, making positive strides after uneven performances at the California Classic. Given Miami’s depth and experience on the wings, it will be difficult for Larsson to get the minutes needed to be fantasy-relevant as a rookie. But he’s made a good impression on his employer in summer league.

The 44th overall pick in last month’s draft, Larsson got off to a slow start on Saturday (as did his Heat teammates). The former Arizona guard, who shot nearly 40% from three as a collegian, went 1-of-4 from beyond the arc and struggled from the foul line. The good news is that Larsson was impactful in other areas, most notably tallying three steals. The shot will come around, given the numbers he produced while at Arizona. Larsson will be a better option for the late rounds in dynasty league drafts than in redrafts.

After a productive freshman season at Utah, Larsson transferred to Arizona where he finished out the last three years of his collegiate career. The Swedish guard averaged 12.8 points, 4.1 boards, 3.7 dimes, 0.9 steals and 1.3 three-pointers as a senior with the Wildcats, hitting an efficient 51.9% of his shots from the floor and 42.6% of his attempts from the beyond the arc. The efficient shooting wasn’t just a one-off, as Larsson shot 49.0/39.7/81.3 splits over four years in the NCAA. His most valuable asset is his long-range shooting ability, and because of that, he should be an attractive late-round option in deep fantasy leagues. The Rockets are sending Larsson to the Miami Heat, so he’ll have to work to get minutes behind Duncan Robinson after a resurgent season in 2023-24.