Everyone has great expectations from the Miami Heat when it comes to the NBA Draft. They always find a way to find talented players who usually go under the radar to fill the team’s needs and keep them competitive. Jaime Jaquez Jr. is the latest example of the team’s excellent draft strategy.
While the season is far from over, the Heat are already considering their options in the upcoming draft. Some sections of the Heat fandom are already curious about the approach the team will take in the draft.
While their approach to the draft is still shrouded in mystery, analysts have already suggested potential players the Heat could select from the incoming rookie class to take their team to the next level.
Analysts believe the Miami Heat will pick a big man in the 2024 NBA Draft
Wes Goldberg of All U Can Heat wrote about the most recent mock drafts of the 2024 Draft. He pointed out that both The Ringer and The Athletic believe the Heat will take a big man to help Bam Adebayo get minutes off the floor.
The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor argued that the Heat will likely select Indiana big man Kel’el Ware:
“Ware is an explosive big man who has hit over 40 percent of his 3s this season. But throughout high school and his freshman season at Oregon, there were questions about his motor and work ethic. With Indiana, he put in far greater effort and excelled, even as the Hoosiers fell out of tournament consideration. Landing with an organization like the Heat would be a best-case scenario to keep him on this positive trajectory.”
Ware has been a solid contributor for the Hoosiers over the season. The Oregon transferee turned his game around in the Big Ten, tallying an impressive stat line of 15.9 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 1.5 APG, and 1.5 BPG on 59%/43%/63% shooting splits.
Meanwhile, Sam Vecenie of The Athletic pushed for Kyle Filipowski, who is currently showing off at Duke:
“Filipowski is a really interesting player for the Heat because he can play next to another big, as he did last season with Dereck Lively II, or operate as a center himself, as he has this season. With Bam Adebayo locked in place, Filipowski would make for an interesting frontcourt complement.”
Like Ware, Filipowski spent two years with the Blue Devils before his likely declaration for the 2024 NBA Draft. His sophomore campaign saw him put up 17.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.6 blocks on 51% shooting. His slightly larger frame will make him a more NBA-ready player than Ware.
Regardless of which player the Heat will select in the draft, they will get a valuable big man who can immediately make an impact whenever Adebayo needs a breather.
However, we shouldn’t put it beyond the Miami Heat to blindside us with another shock pick that will betray all expectations.
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