Miami Heat forward KZ Okpala will be entering his third NBA season, but some scouts aren’t sold on the 22-year-old.
The Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson asked two anonymous scouts about Okpala, and the results were not what Heat fans would like to hear.
“I don’t know how long they will wait for him to develop offensively,” the first scout said after watching Okpala in the NBA’s Summer League. “This season could be it for him.”
The second scout was even more harsh in his assessment of Okpala, who appeared in 37 games for Miami last season.
“He’s very suspect,” the second scout said. “He doesn’t shoot it well. Doesn’t handle well. Has a defensive element, obviously. He’s active. The problem is he’s not a 3-and-D guy. He’s just a D guy. He’s not a rotation player. I would be surprised if he makes it long-term. He doesn’t have a great feel. He doesn’t impact the game that much. He’s a marginal NBA player. I’m not a fan.”
The 2021-22 campaign will be crucial for Okpala if he wants to shake the “marginal NBA player” tag off of his game.
Last season, Okpala averaged 2.5 points, 1.8 rebounds and 0.5 assists in 12.1 minutes per game. He shot just 37.5 percent from the field and 24.0 percent from beyond the arc.
If Okpala doesn’t show enough to crack the rotation this upcoming season, it could be an end to his time in Miami.