Dru Smith has given Miami three short appearances with an 87.2% true shooting mark and a 100.0 defensive rating. The 28-year-old guard on a $2.6M deal now has to show he can hold those numbers over real minutes for Erik Spoelstra.
Fringe Guard
Smith wears No. 12 and is in his fourth season. He has played in three of Miami's five games at 11.4 minutes a night. Davion Mitchell plays 34.1 minutes and Pelle Larsson 30.7, so Smith is fighting for scraps. Tim Hardaway Jr., Klay Thompson and rookies Ryan Conwell and Tre Donaldson are fighting for the same scraps. Nothing on his line says he should be handed more. Everything says he should get a look.
Small, Clean Line
He is averaging 4.0 points, 1.0 rebound and 1.7 assists. He is shooting 66.7% overall and has made every three he has tried, one attempt a night. The free throws are at 50.0%, and one turnover a game is too many for a guard who handles the ball this little. He also has 0.3 steals. That is a tidy line, not a statement.
What Stands Out
The advanced numbers are what get your attention. Smith has a 113.4 offensive rating, a 100.0 defensive rating and a net of plus-13.4. Miami as a whole sits at 108.4 on offense, 116.8 on defense and minus-8.4 net. His usage is 10.8%, so he isn't forcing anything, and his 15.6% assist rate shows he moves the ball rather than stopping it. The 87.2% true shooting will not last at this volume. The defensive number is the one worth chasing, because defense is where this roster is bleeding.
Cheap and Available
Smith makes $2.6M this season, and Miami holds a $2.9M team option for 2027-28. On a $206.9M payroll that is over the $200.4M tax line, a guard who produces at that price is worth having. He was cleared on October 20 and is not on the injury report. Miami controls his future, so the burden is on him.
The Verdict
There is no five-man unit with Smith in it that has a track record yet, so the case for him is still built on cameos. Indiana comes in Friday in the NBA Cup with Tyrese Haliburton and T.J. McConnell out and Andrew Nembhard listed Day-To-Day. If Smith gets minutes, the job is simple: pressure the ball, make the easy pass, keep the turnovers down and leave the floor with Miami no worse off. He doesn't need to score. He needs to be the guard Spoelstra trusts to defend for 12 minutes without a drop-off. Anything less, and he goes back to the end of the bench.
How much is Dru Smith paid by the Heat?
Smith earns $2.6M in 2026-27. The Heat hold a $2.9M team option on him for 2027-28.
Is Dru Smith injured?
No. He was cleared on October 20 and is not on the injury report.
