The Miami Heat have never been famous for their NBA draft selections, with the notable exception of Dwyane Wade. Two years ago the Heat drafted Justise Winslow, though he has yet to reach his full potential, he was certainly a steal at No. 10 in the 2015 NBA Draft.
Pat Riley is notorious for not trusting the draft as a reliable method of building a championship-contending team and even refers to picking in the middle of the draft as “purgatory,” but there is reason to believe that he has softened up on that stance over the past few years. Even so, it wouldn’t be a surprise to anyone if Riley decided to trade away the 14th pick for some established talent.
The Heat ended last season as a team on the cusp of clinching the playoffs. Many would say that they outperformed their preseason expectations, though if the dominoes had fallen in a different way as the season came to a close, the Heat could have ended up with the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference playoff race. They are not rebuilding by any measure, so what they must do is retool their roster to maintain their competitive edge in the fast improving Eastern Conference.
It’s obvious that the Heat have more than a few holes that need filling in their roster, yet it is difficult to know which hole should be plugged first because James Johnson, Luke Babbitt and Udonis Haslem don’t have contracts on the table (yet). Willie Reed, Dion Waiters and Josh McRoberts all have player options that they can exercise. Also Okaro White, Rodney McGruder, Josh Richardson and Wayne Ellington all have contracts that are either fully or partially guaranteed.
Bearing this information in mind, it is tough to say who the Heat will retain from last year, who they will offer contracts to, or who will accept those contracts when it’s all said and done. Especially since the 2017 free agent-class is star-studded, potentially featuring players like: Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Gordon Hayward, Blake Griffin, Chris Paul, Kyle Lowry, Paul Millsap and many more.
While it is certainly difficult to predict who the Heat will go after with what is likely to be the 14th pick in the draft, most experts agree that the Heat could use a boost on the wings, up front, as well as on the bench. So without further ado, here are 10 free-agent options for the Heat in this year’s draft.
1. Ivan Rabb
Rabb is a 6-foot-11 sophomore from the University of California, Berkeley and is only 19. He has plenty of time and the potential talent to drastically improve given his current skill set. This past season, he averaged 14.0 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. Rabb would be an excellent addition to Miami’s frontcourt to compliment Hassan Whiteside, especially considering that the Heat no longer have Chris Bosh at power forward.
Next: T.J. Leaf
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2. T.J. Leaf
Having played this past season for UCLA, Leaf is a player many believe the Heat will select if he is available at No. 14. He’s 6-foot-10 and averaged 16.3 points and 8.2 rebounds, while shooting 61.7 percent from the field in his freshman season. Leaf is also a big man who can play both away from the basket and with his back to the basket. He would provide a much-needed inside-out threat that Miami lost with the sudden loss of Bosh. Leaf shot 46.6 percent last season on 3-pointers and had 39 blocks. Expect the Heat to draft Leaf if he’s available.
Next: John Collins
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3. John Collins
Collins played two seasons for Wake Forest University and had an explosive sophomore year, averaging 19.2 points on 62 percent from the field in addition to 9.8 rebounds in 26 minutes of playing time. He’s 6-foot-10 and nimble, but is more of an anchor in the paint as he averaged 1.6 blocks last season. Collins specializes in defense and has much room to grow. With the big man at power forward, Miami’s frontcourt could truly be a defensive force to be reckoned with.
Next: OG Anunoby
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4. OG Anunoby
Hailing from Indiana University, he is a 6-foot-8 forward with outstanding athletic prowess. His athleticism paired with his long wingspan, makes him a Kawhi Leonard type of lockdown defender, averaging 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks a game. Most of his shortcomings come on the offensive side of the ball, as he shot a mediocre 31 percent from 3-point range on only 45 attempts and a dismal 56.3 percent from the free-throw line in his last season with the Hoosiers. It is important to note that Anunoby might fall to the 14th pick or beyond because he missed more than the final two months of the season after undergoing successful knee surgery.
Next: Dwayne Bacon
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5. Dwayne Bacon
Bacon played two seasons for Florida State University and is a 6-foot-7 guard with a knack for knocking down shots. Last year he averaged 17.2 points a game and 45.2 percent on 3-pointers. Defensively, he stole the ball with consistency and even had 11 games with two or more steals. Bacon is a solid guard who can dribble, defend, pass and shoot the ball with efficiency.
Next: Edrice “Bam” Adebayo
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6. Edrice ‘Bam’ Adebayo
Adebayo played one season for the University of Kentucky before declaring for the NBA draft. He was arguably the Wildcat’s most impactful player in the paint last year. During his one season, he averaged 13.0 points and 8.0 rebounds in 30.1 minutes per game, though there were various points last season where his production faltered or lacked consistency. With a 6-foot-10 frame and world class skills, it is hard to believe that he won’t make huge positive strides in terms of his progress towards becoming an effective NBA player.
Next: Jonathan Isaac
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7. Jonathan Isaac
Isaac only played one season at Florida State University but is an incredibly impressive prospect. He is 6-foot-10, and is as athletic as anyone at his size, all while being able to run in transition. These skills, coupled with his long-range and 34.8 percent accuracy on 3-pointers make him a headache for defenders and an inside-out threat. Isaac’s 1.5 blocks and 1.2 steals in 26.2 minutes per game make him a defensive stalwart that could thrive alongside Whiteside in the frontcourt for the Heat.
Next: Jarrett Allen
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8. Jarrett Allen
Allen flourished in his freshman campaign at Texas University and has unimaginable upside. He’s a 7-footer and has a 7-foot-5 wingspan. There is certainly more than a little room to grow for this Texas freshman, as he averaged 13.4 points and 8.4 rebounds in his lone NCAA campaign. Allen is more of a safe bet for Miami, as he will more than likely fall to No. 14 or beyond in the upcoming draft. Allen’s scoring, rebounding and intimidatingly large presence in the paint can both compliment Whiteside, as well as provide him with relief off the bench.
Next: Malik Monk
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9. Malik Monk
Monk played for the University of Kentucky for a single season and is a natural-born scorer that could go shot-for-shot with anyone his age. He’s only 6-foot-3, but scored 47 points against North Carolina University, had four 30-point games, and averaged 19.8 points per game in his freshman season. His defense must improve, though he is a solid rebounder and passer. For Monk there is much more upside than liability, as he could add a deadly scoring threat to the Heat’s backcourt alongside Goran Dragic.
Next: Frank Ntilikina
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10. Frank Ntilikina
Ntilikina is one of the most enigmatic players eligible for the 2017 NBA Draft. Standing at 6-foot-5, he is a French point guard who arrived on the scene in the 2016 FIBA U18 European Championships, where he averaged 15.2 points, 2.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists. He also shot a staggering 50 percent for the whole tournament, and 58.6 percent on 3-pointers, though the international three-point line is shorter than the NBA’s. His limited sample size of play, coupled with his 18-year youth make it impossible to predict where he’ll fall in the draft. One thing is for certain, Ntilikina has potent potential as a large point guard, and is a lights-out shooter.
The Heat have a 98.2 percent chance to land the No. 14 pick in the draft and are in a unique position to potentially land one of the top 10 prospects, if the right teams pass any of them up. The likelihood of that happening isn’t incredibly high, which is why Riley affectionately refers to picking in the middle of the round as “purgatory.” While there are a number of positions that Miami could stand to fill in this draft, they only have one pick. Leaf is the most likely candidate to be chosen, as his draft stock places him very close to the 14th pick. Alternatively, Rabb or Collins would be outstanding additions to the Heat and could contribute immediately in a meaningful way.
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