Trajan Langdon Can Help Heat

He mattered at Duke.

He matters in Euroleague.

He could matter in the NBA.

Trajan Langdon has been exiled to Europe and has made the best of it. There is a certain romanticism, at least in my mind, about playing professional basketball overseas. You get to see all the exotic locations around the world and really take the opportunity to grow as an individual and learn and see new things. You are like a voyager to a far away land, an alien on another planet - and in some cases, a superhero that has come to roost amongst the humble civilians of another world.

Trajan Langdon never asked for this, it was forced upon him. Interestingly, he might have never had the opportunity he had if he was being drafted during this day and age - that is, post 2K.

The NBA has changed a lot: the game now favors perimeter players - we can't stress this enough. The calls are all going to any perimeter player that can create contact; any player with an ability to create hesitation in the mind of his defender has got an edge as he will now dictate the action thus getting the call.

Langdon is one of Europe's best shooters. He shot 54% from the field this past season, and 42% from three point range. He also hit his free throw; shooting over 90% from the charity stripe. He averaged around 8 shot attempts per game, 4 from the field and 4 from three point range.

As seen in this video (don't mind the Spanish!), Langdon can create seperation with excellent body control and positioning as well as complete the play by making the shot under duress - with a hand in his face, for example:



Now, he is only 6'3" but he is extremely quick off the ground as well as laterally. He can use the floor with the best of them and does not look to force his shot (which explains his meager 8 FGAs per game) but instead waits for the game to come to him.

As noted previously, a good complementary talent on the Heat is going to be able to hit his shots, move and create without the ball, and defend. Langdon has proven this time and again while playing for Euroleague powerhouse CSKA, along with another international talent targeted by the Heat PG Theo Papaloukas.

Is there not a more perfect scenario for Langdon to try and show why the Cavs picked him #11th overall in the '99 draft? He gets to play off of Wade and Shaq, and that will leave a ton of opportunities for Langdon to let if fly from outside. He will be able to take the PG on defense, and allow for Wade to guard the SG instead or even have Wade switch off with whomever is playing SF.

It is time to bring the Alaskan Assassin back to the US. It is time to bring the traveler to his final destination - the sunny beaches of Miami. Just in time to matter once again, and to win another championship - this time, in the NBA.