Other than taking weekends off to hang out with family and friends here in Miami, McGruder said he’s been working out at AmericanAirlines Arena Monday through Friday for five, six hours a day.
He said he lifts weights and puts up hundreds of jump shots from about 8 a.m. to about “1 or 2” p.m. regularly.
“It’s been a couple of us in there,” McGruder said of the team’s day-to-day offseason workouts. “Me and Okaro [White], we’re really in there together. Justise [Winslow], [Josh Richardson] are in there with us. James [Johnson], Tyler [Johnson]. Wayne [Ellington], too. There’s been a lot of guys in there working out.”
McGruder said he’s been working on the mechanics of his shot with Heat shooting coach Rob Fodor since the season ended. Last season, while averaging 6.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists over 25 minutes a game, McGruder shot 41.3 percent from the field and 33.2 percent from three-point range – numbers both Riley and Spoelstra believe McGruder can improve upon.
“It’s just being ready to shoot, being down at one level, being ready to play the game,” McGruder said. “Rob is great. I look forward to great things, as well, because I see how he helped Goran [Dragic] at the beginning of the year.”
He’s also seeking the advice and help of three-point specialist Wayne Ellington, who had the most productive three-point shooting season of his career last season with the Heat.
“We talk,” McGruder said of Ellington, whom the Heat have until July 7 to resign for $6.2 million next season. “I just ask him questions and I ask him what he does and just watch him. I look at his film and I look at my shot, and just trying to see how I can get better because he’s one of the best shooters in the league. That’s somebody that you can learn from.”
▪ So, how does Winslow look recovering from shoulder surgery?
“He looks good,” McGruder said. “I was watching him today and I was like ‘You better watch out. Justise looks good.’ He looks really good. You’re going to see. I don’t want to give away all the secrets. Justise looks real good.”
Heat’s McGruder tinkering with shot to become ‘knock-down shooter’
