ASK IRA: Does Duncan Robinson’s contract make him a closer? – South Florida Sun Sentinel

A: In a previous era (actually an era not that long ago), I would agree that you can’t have a marginal defender on the floor at the close of a tight game. But the NBA game has changed, tilting toward the offensive end, and even if Duncan Robinson is giving up twos, he can compensate with his threes. Plus, I believe Duncan has grown into at least a passable defender, opponents no longer able to simply pick him apart. In fact, based on where the Heat stand with the rest of their 3-point shooting, I’m not sure the Heat can afford to not have him on the court during crunch time. As for his contract, it actually is commensurate to what elite shooters received last offseason in free agency. Now, should Erik Spoelstra opt not to close with Duncan and the ends of close games, then you can start questioning the $90 million over five years. But to his credit, Duncan has continued to show growth with his game, so it’s not as if he has peaked.