Miami Heat Executive Explains Why Team Has Decided to ‘Hold Off’ Interviewing 2020 Draft Prospects

Pat Riley and Adam Simon

While the 2020 NBA Draft is now set to take place in October, teams still don’t have a definitive strategy due to the peculiar ramifications of the novel coronavirus.

Miami Heat vice president of basketball operations Adam Simon told Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel why the squad isn’t conducting video interviews with prospects right now.

“We’ve decided to hold off,” Simon said. “Because a lot of the top players, where we’re picking, we’ve reached out and some haven’t let their players interview yet. I think the agents want to know where the order’s going to be. They want to know how this is shaking out. And some think it’s a little early if the draft is not going to be until late.”

Typically, teams are preparing and plotting for the NBA draft in June.

However, since the coronavirus interrupted the league’s schedule back in March, almost everything on the NBA calendar has been altered.

With the 2020 NBA Draft now pushed back to Oct. 15, agents of prospective draftees want to see where teams will end up in the selection order.

The Heat have one of the best scouting departments in the entire league.

Over the last few years, the squad has drafted rising stars Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro. Despite not being high picks, both players are among the best players in their respective classes now.

As for scouting undrafted players, the Heat picked up Kendrick Nunn and Duncan Robinson in the last couple of years.

Nunn is one of the top rookies in the league, while Robinson is one of the best 3-point shooters in the association.

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