After the first day of training camp, Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra couldn’t stop talking up Dru Smith. To the extent that his standing with the team has become painfully obvious. Smith isn’t going anywhere, and he’s likely to play a big role for the Heat once he is officially clear.

Spo didn’t hide his love for Smith, and it completely explains why the Heat moved quickly to sign him during the offseason, once the opportunity arose after the Haywood Highsmith trade.

“What he has is a superpower. I wish you could take some of that and just apply it to other players…When I say superpower or superpowers, it’s a level of grit, it’s a level of fortitude, perseverance. However, you want to describe it, he has no quit in him”

Spo on Smith

Smith was recently cleared for 5-on-5 on-court work, but it remains to be seen how far away he is from the training staff taking the complete training wheels off of him as he continues to recover from an Achilles injury. He’s certainly close, and his participation in the team’s first day of practice was a good sign.

Dru Smith could play a big role for the Heat

Before his season-ending injury last year, Smith was quickly emerging as an important player for the Heat off the bench. During the month of December (before his Achilles injury), Smith was averaging eight points and three rebounds on 52 percent shooting from the field and 56 percent shooting from 3-point range on 24 minutes played per game.

What makes Smith such a weapon for Spo off the bench is the fact that he also plays stingy defense on the other end of the floor.

It’s a big “if,” but if Smith can get back to that level at some point this season, he could be the backup point guard that the Heat need behind Davion Mitchell. It could help take some of the rookie pressure off the shoulders of Kasparas Jakucionis, who, if his summer league showing was any indication, probably isn’t ready to log consistent minutes.

With the way Spo glowed about him after the first practice of training camp, it’s pretty clear that Smith wasn’t just a signing to fill out the rest of the Heat’s roster. Smith is a valued player in the Heat’s organization. Whether fans agree with that assessment or not, Spo loves what Smith can bring to the table this season, and what Spo feels matters. A lot.

Once he’s fully given the green light from the training staff, you’d have to imagine Smith is going to be a consistent part of the Heat’s rotation. That much has become abundantly clear.