We are less than two months away from the 2025 NBA Draft, which will be held on Wednesday, June 25! The G-League Elite Camp begins Friday while the NBA Draft combine doesn’t tip off until Sunday.
The Miami Heat became the first team in NBA History to win two play-in games on the road to make the postseason, but lost their own lottery-protected pick. However, due to the Jimmy Butler trade, they own the No. 20 pick (Warriors pick) ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft.
It will be their only pick of the draft. Who are some names to look out for? Below, I listed seven, even though the list far exceeds that amount. Let’s dive into it!
Ben Saraf, G, Israel
Saraf is one of my favorite international prospects in this class, even though he fits the bill of plenty of guard prospects in this class: He can facilitate, but isn’t a good 3-point shooter, which could be a problem at the next level. However, the 6-foot-5 guard has a slithery handle, is an above-average finisher and is a very creative passer with good decision-making in the pick-and-roll. He’s also a good and physical point-of-attack defender, though he isn’t physical when navigating bigger defenders offensively. I’m bad with comparisons, but Saraf’s game reminds me of former Heat guard Goran Dragic.
Jase Richardson, G, Michigan State
I presume Richardson gets picked before 20, but weirder things have happened. His measurables at this month’s combine could also impact his draft stock. But the 6-foot-3 guard continued to get better as the season went on, averaging 16.1 points and 4.6 rebounds on 47.0 percent shooting, including 42.0 percent from 3-point range over his last 15 games. He’s acted primarily as a secondary creator in Michigan State’s offense, but if your role expands in Tom Izzo’s offense as a freshman, you’re doing something right.
Rasheer Fleming, F, St. Joseph’s
St. Joseph’s narrowly missed the NCAA Tournament, but Fleming is one of the best 3-and-D upperclassmen in this class. The junior averaged career highs in points (14.7), rebounds (8.5), steals (1.4), blocks (1.5), field goal percentage (53.1), 3-point percentage (39.0) and free-throw percentage (74.3) last year. So, yes, he literally averaged career highs across the board. The biggest knock on his game is a lack of creation upside due to poor ballhandling, but if you’re looking for a prospect who can knock down open 3s and defend multiple positions at a high level, he’s a great get. Those kinds of 3-and-D wings are at a premium in today’s NBA.
Kam Jones, G, Marquette
Jones, a super senior, is projected to get picked at the back-end of the first round. The consensus All-American took over as Marquette’s lead guard this season and, while his shooting efficiency dipped, averaged a career-high 5.9 assists per game with a gaudy 3.1 assist-to-turnover ratio. In the right system, he could be an excellent complementary guard if his shooting efficiency is more consistent than it was last year.
(Click here to check out all of the different online betting apps.)
Nique Clifford, G/F, Colorado State
Clifford is another senior who averaged 19.0 points, 9.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.2 steals on 50.7 percent shooting, including 39.8 percent from beyond the arc last season. He was one of the most productive mid-major players in the country. Not to mention, Clifford’s a superb defender at 6-foot-6 with a 6-foot-8 wingspan. He consistently defended the team’s best player and improved gradually over his two seasons at Colorado State as a shot creator.
Labaron Philon, G, Alabama
Philon’s role at Alabama was limited this season, playing behind Mark Sears and Aden Holloway. He averaged 10.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.4 steals on 45.2 percent shooting and 31.5 percent from distance. With the ball in his hands, he does an excellent job locking defenders in jail on his hip and has very good in-between touch from the 5-10 foot area on the floor. I’m a buyer that the long-range shooting will come around at some point, but that was a slight concern in his limited role–as well as his lack of vertical pop. He’s a physical, hypercompetitive player and, with the right development, could grow into a solid two-way guard.
Walter Clayton Jr., G, Florida
Clayton was the biggest riser as a result of the NCAA Tournament, helping lead Florida to a National Title. He was excellent throughout most of March, though I do caution some about the risk of taking those kinds of players. I still project him to be an early second-rounder, but I wouldn’t be surprised if a team takes a chance on him in the late-first-round area. He averaged 18.3 points on 44.8/38.6/87.5 shooting splits. He’s a tough shot-taker … but he’s also a tough shot maker. Clayton is a decent facilitator, rebounder and playmaker for his size; he’s not a great finisher, but he’s got range and isn’t afraid of the big moment.
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For all you guys who wanted the team to intentionally tank at the end to get the lottery pick, this is what Spo said after the Heat beat the Hawks in O.T. to make the playoffs.
“I know how badly our guys wanted to get in this thing. I could see it in their hearts. This group has grown closer together from all these adversities. And Davion has given us that kind of passion. He wears all his emotions on his sleeve. That’s why he’s a really good fit for us.”
Here’s a nice recap of the last few minutes of that play-in game vs Atlanta.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YwrAXAgrXs
That was Davion’s game. The opportunity he got in Miami to play his game has revealed his potential. He has also found a home (unlike Sacramento or Toronto) where he is utilized appropriately and appreciated. This is the player Sacto thought they were getting when they drafted him #9 in 2021. Being under the shadow of Fox didn’t give him a chance to grow or demonstrate his true potential.
I sure hope Miami signs him for 3-4 years. If he continues to improve his 3 point shooting, he may be very difficult to bump out of the starting unit, short of signing Kyrie, Luka, Ja, LaMelo, Giddey or some other A-, A, A+ PG. I can see him and Dru Smith making a pretty good 1-2 punch at PG. Calm. Good floor generals/ball handlers. Good defenders. Bust their butts every play. Good 3 point shooters. Team players.
Saw the Riley press conference. To make a long story short, here’s some highlights
*The Miami Heat lost 20 games in the 2024-25 season after leading by double digits in the 4th quarter. This is the most such losses in the NBA during the season.
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It will be interesting to see in what direction Riley decides to go this offseason. I hope he doesn’t make an already bad situation worse by gambling with the team’s future by swinging for the fences in a year when Miami should be playing/developing/ evaluating the youngsters and waiting for several journeymen’s contracts to expire at the end of 2026. If he does decide to swing away, he better hit a grand slam!
Basically, everything is good, a little depression from last two games is already gone.
The rest was the blah blah blah about old days.
I missed the apology to fans. It must be somewhere.
And that’s why they finna be a perennial play in team not wanting to rebuild/tank which should’ve been done years ago when they didn’t get dame here. Herro and bam being the cornerstones while one isn’t good offensively the other is horrible defensively lmao. Playin champs going for a unprecedented 6peat
POSITIVE thinkers have a SOLUTION for every problem, NEGATIVE thinkers have a PROBLEM for every solution.
~ Steven Aitchison ~
At least he acknowledged that with Butler gone, the team needs another Alpha male / a team leader. The question is, how does the team go about re-tooling and finding a new alpha male/team leader?
Step 1:
A full assessment needs to be made this summer of the team’s veterans and younger players to determine, to the extent possible, which ones are definitely worth keeping and which ones are definitely not.
Step 2:
The projected trade values of all players the team does not want to keep should be made.
Step 3:
The team should explore the best ways to get rid of it’s dead weight (through trades, buyouts or by waiting for contracts to expire at the end of 2026 season).
Step 4:
If any of the players who are not part of the team’s longer range plans are traded, it should be as part of a bigger trade for an alpha male or for younger players, draft picks and/or cash.
Step 5:
In the process of getting rid of dead weight, all players, with the possible exceptions of Ware, Bam and Mitchell, should be on the table, if the right trades come along.
POSITIVE thinkers have a SOLUTION for every problem, NEGATIVE thinkers have a PROBLEM for every solution.
~ Steven Aitchison ~
Playin champions 6peat incoming.
Said my solution would be to rebuild trade Tyler and bam for players better then them and/or get young talent/picks I’ve named multiple plenty of times
Jaden Ivey naz Reid Ben mathurin Jalen Williams Andrew nembhard Aaron neismith jabari smith tari Eason alexander walker etc etc again I’ve said this multiple times so you saying dumbass quotes doesn’t apply here
You throw a lot of names out there but I don’t see any proposed trades. Who would you trade, who would want/expect in return and what would the line-up and rotation look like? Anyone can just throw names out there. Remember, Miami wants to get below the first apron so they aren’t penalized with luxury a tax.
As I’ve said before, 2025-2026 needs to be a “down year” where young players can be developed and evaluated and the team can get rid of players on expiring contracts. Who knows, the Heat may even get a lottery pick out of it as you all have been demanding.
I’m looking forward to a season of low expectations, player development and asset accumulation while the team cleans house and goes through a transition process without formally throwing the towel in, letting go of the rope, quitting or tanking.
“You’re never a loser until you quit trying.”
Said my solution would be to rebuild trade Tyler and bam for players better then them and/or get young talent/picks I’ve named multiple plenty of times
Damn learn to read or something and I’m not finna sit up here and make ten thousand mock trades you pick them I gave you a solution since you made that bs post now I have to give you trade scenarios who stays who goes new lineup etc etc.
Want this site to be your ass kissing session when they might I’m not, and your throw a season isn’t the only solution neither many avenues the team could and should take not just your way so you talk down on others solution
I must have missed that class on how to trade away your best players and get better players, young talent and picks in return.
Unless you are specific, it’s hard for me to envision exactly how you plan to do that. Kind of like turning water into wine.
Maybe you can cite a few examples of teams that have successfully done what you are proposing (recently) and we can resume the debate from there. I’m open to suggestions if they make sense.
“I’m open to suggestions if they make sense. “
Lmfao this blog created this kinda mentality your not a gm nor are you the gm of the Mia heat, yes trade away your best players for players/picks I also said that. Why do you feel what everyone else says the heat path should be is wrong but only your way is right. Cite examples? Shai and pg okc when he was coming off a mvp type season. Again stop thinking your way is right when it’s not.
Also this coming from you is so rich same guy who didn’t want Mia to tank a few games this year for a lottery pick is now suggesting they punt/tank a whole season lmfao and they defend and take up for your hypocritical wanna be gm ass
“Blogger envy” is real.
So is deflecting
“Maybe you can cite a few examples of teams that have successfully done what you are proposing (recently) and we can resume the debate from there“
Sunman
“Shai and pg okc when he was coming off a mvp type season.“
Hothothoopsfan4life
Ask for an example was giving one and now your deflecting
Very Bad Example. Miami does not have players of that caliber. After trading away stars like Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and Paul George, the Oklahoma City Thunder acquired 11 first-round draft picks. These picks were spread across several years, including 4 in 2025. The Thunder’s draft pick portfolio also includes a 2026 first-round pick from Houston, a 2026 pick from the Clippers, and a 2025 pick from Miami. OKC is projected to have a total of 15 first-round picks from 2025-2030. This includes their own picks in 2025, 2029, and 2030, as well as those they acquired from other teams.
Ben Saraf is not European…
Neither is the pope.
Ben Saraf is not the pope…
Israeli like Deni Avdija of the Blazers (formerly of Wizards).
He is Israeli like Micky Arison of the Miami Heat. Also like Alaska Emily of the HotHotHoops comment section.
Fun fact: I literally got my degree from the Arison School of Business, in Herzliya, Israel.
Wow! That’s pretty good Emily. How did you end up going from Israel to Alaska? I came to California from Arizona to get away from the heat (small h). Most people move to get away from cold climates.
I took a plane.
(heh, heh)
The short version is that I found a seasonal tourism job working with cruise ship passengers at a time when I was unsatisfied with my work situation. I was supposed to just be in Alaska for one summer before I figured out my next step, but I’ve been here now for almost a decade.
Cool. (heh heh)
Hey, as long as you are happy, that’s all that counts.
Unhappy cruising in warm seas, and move to Alaska. You must be really something.
I’ll put it this way: for the first 30 years of my life, I lived in either Israel or Florida. So I never once experienced a real winter. I figured I should make up for lost time.
Real winter is great for two month a year, to serve as decoration for festive season and provides some snow for skiing. I never thought that there is something more in it.
But it makes sense. Your second stint in Florida will start right on time for getting in pension and start to heal rheumatism.
Avdija has Serbian roots. His father is Serbian, and he was well known player, also a member of ex Yougoslavia national team.
A lot of very good basketball players come from that region. Serbia and Slovenia alone represent about 10,000,000 people, roughly half the population of the former Yugoslavia. For such a small population, they produce a number of the world’s best basketball players. In addition to Luka, it definitely has produced plenty of quality NBA centers. Maybe, one day, Luka will find his way down to Miami. The conditioning program would do him wonders.
I wouldn’t mix Slovenia and Serbia, but for your information,
Slovenia already produced 11 NBA players out of population of 2 millions people. Slovenian players already won 5 NBA titles.
But right now we should focus on cycling. We also have two best cyclists in the world, which won past three grand tours, including tour de France.
Luka would die in Miami. He cant fulfil the request of body fat.
Its just body type. I remember his father, which I saw him playing a lot of times, and even met him in person (about 30 years ago). He looks always fat, and he didnt move in the court at all. But somehow he was always at the right place at the right time.
I can never remember how to spell Lublijana.
Neither do I.
I only mentioned them together because they seem to be the countries that were part of Yugoslavia that have produced the most NBA players.
As far as Lukas’s body fat, how he looks is not as important as how he feels and how he performs. I think he, like Zion Williamson and a few others in the NBA, would perform at higher levels if they were ever to get into Miami Heat/world class shape.
Maybe. My point was, that he is not built to be in the world shape according Heat standards (10 % body fat etc.) He is more like Shaq, Chuck, Jokic.. those guys are not known as 6pack man, but they are all incredibly strong.
I understand. What they lack in athleticism, they make up for in BBIQ, skill, experience, etc. That fact appears to be lost on some folks here who seem to think athleticism is the #1 criteria for an NBA player. That does no good if a player is dumb as a rock, can’t hit the side of the barn, has a bad attitude and/or is carrying a bunch of baggage.
exactly.