MIAMI – With the Detroit Pistons at Kaseya Center To face the Miami Heat on Tuesday night, NBA life truly came full circle for Wayne Ellington and Delon Wright.
Teammates at one time with the Pistons and now in a coach-player partnership with the Heat, Ellington and Wright both reflected nostalgically on the 2020-21 season they spent in Detroit.
For Ellington, it was the best shooting season of his career.
For Wright, it was a step toward playing more as a point guard.
“I really, really enjoyed it,” Ellington said with a smile. “It’s funny, we talk about it all the time. I was probably having the best of my career with him as a leader.
“So obviously, I really enjoyed that.”
Ellington, who played one more season before his playing career ended in 2021-22 with the Los Angeles Lakers, said he saw many of the skills that could help the Heat then now, especially with the Kyle Lowry trade and with Josh Richardson facing an extended absence with a dislocated shoulder.
“He’s a pass rusher, a playmaker, a defender, a smart player, so I thought we complemented each other really well,” Ellington, 36, said.
Two years after this partnership, Ellington contacted Heat coach Erik Spoelstra to continue coaching. This was his first season in this role, found every evening sitting behind the Heat bench.
Then, after the Feb. 8 NBA trade deadline, the 31-year-old Wright requested and received a buyout from the Washington Wizards, with two of those reunion games also being re-titled on the Heat’s schedule.
“He’s still a similar player,” Ellington said of their years playing together. “Obviously he’s more experienced now.”
Although playing time was limited, especially with Terry Rozier returning earlier than expected from what initially appeared to be a concerning knee sprain, Wright’s opportunities were limited.
But Ellington said he’s seen enough to remember the two-way contributor Wright could still be during this playoff run.
