There are officially less than two weeks left in the 2023-24 NBA regular season, with the Miami Heat fighting to get out of the play-in for the second consecutive season.
Don’t look now, but there are also less than three months until the 2024 NBA Draft, which is expected to be June 26 (first round) and June 27 (second round), the first year the draft has split into multiple nights instead of one.
Miami owns its first-round pick and owns a top-50 protected second-round pick. Our last mock draft round-up was on Feb. 17, so let’s tip-off April with another! Let’s dive into it!
Bleacher Report (Jonathan Wasserman; March 27):
No. 16: Devin Carter, G, Providence
“Providence was kept out of the NCAA tournament, but the sample size of Devin Carter’s offensive development was big and strong enough to lock in first-round interest.
“He closed the year with another outstanding performance, putting up 27 points on 14 shots against Marquette.
“Regardless of the scoring outbursts this year, he’s going to earn NBA minutes and paychecks off versatility and intangibles. For a 6’3” guard, the 32 blocked shots and 8.7 rebounds per game are telling.
Unteachable defensive intensity, toughness and instincts separate Carter and fuel his identity, though he’s entered the lottery conversation by developing into a dangerous shot-maker and crafty pick-and-roll ball-handler.”
No. 45: Melvin Ajinça, G/F, France
“Between FIBA and LNB Pro A, there has been enough evidence of Melvin Ajinça’s shot-making for teams to target it in the second round. They’ll just have to accept the idea that he may not offer much else in terms of creation, passing or defensive upside.
“Ajinça will have a big stock-boosting opportunity next month at the Nike Hoop Summit.”
NBA Draft Room (March 30):
No. 16: Kyshawn George, G, Miami
“A jumbo-sized guard/wing with big time upside ability. He gets where he wants on the court and has shown improved 3pt shooting, hitting over 40% from 3 this year. A standout and versatile defender.”
From their player report on George:
“He’s got great handles, good passing vision and the size to see over the defense. And he makes good decisions with the ball, knowing when to move the rock and when to get his shot. He showed off a really nice outside shot during his freshman season at Miami, hitting an outstanding 41% from 3 on decent volume. This floor spacing ability takes his game to the next level. George can guard up and down the line-up and does a good job of pressuring the ball, using his size and agility. While he’s not the quickest or most explosive athlete he can stay with smaller guards and uses his size and athleticism well to defend in space. He’s got a lot of development to do but the sky is the limit for this kid.”
No. 46: Tristen Newton, G, UConn
From their player report on Newton:
“Newton is a highly skilled veteran guard who can play a supportive role or take over a game when needed. He’s got good size for a lead guard at 6-5, is very shifty with crafty handles and clutch shot-making ability. He looks like the type of player that could be a solid guard off the bench at the next level, providing depth play-making and scoring.”
Sporting News (Kyle Irving; March 24):
No. 15: Kyshawn George, G, Miami
“Trying to guess the most “Heat Culture” prospect in each draft class has become a fun exercise. Last year, Miami selected Jaime Jaquez Jr., and he proved to be a great fit. This year, that player might be right in its backyard with the University of Miami’s George. The freshman needs time to develop his game but projects as a high-upside big guard who can defend multiple positions, create his own shot and offer some ball-handling depth.”
USA Today (Bryan Kalbrosky; March 28):
No. 16: Devin Carter, G, Providence:
“The Heat are typically excellent at identifying prospects who find ways to stick around the NBA for one reason or another and Providence’s Devin Carter is the perfect example of that type of player.”
Fansided (Christopher Kline; March 25):
No. 15: Dalton Knecht, G/F, Tennessee
“Dalton Knecht has carried over his regular season momentum to March Madness. He’s the best perimeter scorer in college basketball these days, torching defenses behind the 3-point line before shredding them with every manner of drive and in-between finish. Knecht doesn’t put up a ton of assists and he’s a limited defender, but the shot-making is truly off the charts. It’s always risky to select 23-year-olds this high, but we’ve seen Miami reap the rewards of betting on Jaime Jaquez Jr. last summer. Knecht should be ready to contribute from day one and he has the attitude to thrive in ‘Heat Culture’ Miami.”
NBADraft.net (March 27):
No. 15: Isaiah Collier, G, USC
Excerpt from their player report on Collier:
“Strengths: 6’5 point guard … Good athlete and gets up fairly effortless. Attacks the rim with a quick first step. Handles the ball well in the half-court as well as picking up speed in transition. Speed and strength with the ball make him difficult to contain when going downhill … Good timing, threads the needle and makes impressive lead passes. Makes proper reads and sees plays ahead of time. Makes accurate lobs and crosscourt passing in the half-court, consistently hits open shooters when they’re open on the weakside. Best passer and pick and roll ball-handler in the class; getting to the rim, hitting the roll when appropriate (bullets, lobs, or bounce passes), or even splitting the defense. Controls the pace, stays poised and doesn’t get sped up. Doesn’t force offense and impacts the game without scoring, keeps teammates involved and engaged, not to mention makes the game easier for them. Impressively low turnover count considering his volume/usage.
“Weaknesses: Size is good for position, but his length isn’t great relative to size with a 6’4 wingspan … Looks for contact on drives at times rather than converting the simpler finish … His EYBL 3PT shooting was good at 41.9%, but he’s still on the streaky side. Playmaking without consistent shooting generally isn’t enough at the NBA level … Isn’t real diverse scoring, his strength moving forward will be centered around his facilitating.”
CBS Sports (Kyle Boone; March 14):
No. 15: Kyle Filipowski, F/C, Duke
“I wanted to see Filipowski in his second season at Duke develop as a defender and become a more consistent and reliable shooter, and he has improved in both areas. The 7-footer fits the profile of a modern NBA big with the ability to score it from deep and also operate as a facilitator with good vision and willingness as a passer.”
The Ringer (Kevin O’Connor; March 27):
No. 16: Devin Carter, G, Providence
“Carter feels like a classic Heat Culture player with his hounding on-ball defense and his selfless offense. He could become everything the Heat hoped Kyle Lowry could be before they moved on.
“Lockdown point-of-attack defender who stays seated in his stance and harasses opponents. With his strength, length, and mindset, he’s capable of switching to defend larger players, too … He does all the little things on offense, looking for chances to cut and run out in transition. He’ll be a valuable screener if drafted into an offense that uses inverted actions … Excellent at-rim finisher who can hit difficult layups against length and contact using either hand. He uses his strength to carve out space and hit below-the-rim layups from any angle.
“He doesn’t handle pressure or double-teams well, especially when trapped in the pick-and-roll or turning his back from the post. One of the reasons why he dribbles into post-ups is that he doesn’t really have a dynamic handle or a second gear to turn the corner on defenders … Off the catch, he’s become a knockdown shooter, but he made only 33 percent of his catch-and-shoot 3s in his first two seasons, per Synergy. It’s pivotal for him to become a reliable spot-up shooter to be effective at the next level.”
ESPN (Jonathan Givony, Jeremy Woo; April 1):
No. 18: Tristan da Silva, F, Colorado
From March 20:
“His size and mobility make him a potential schematic asset in the NBA on the defensive end, where he can switch on the perimeter capably. He’s a knowledgeable offensive player and has become quite reliable, appealing to teams as a potential plug-and-play draft pick who can contribute off the bench. While not the most physical or strongest player, da Silva checks plenty of boxes as a long-term pro and potential back end first-rounder.”
No. 47: D.J. Wagner, G, Kentucky
Tankathon (March 15):
No. 16: Devin Carter, G, Providence
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Let’s simplify – we do not need to draft another guard.
lol shit like that why we searching the bottom of the bin when trade deadline/free agency comes around. This dude led his team in scoring assists rebounds and steals, which means he carried them.