Last weekend, it was revealed that the Miami Heat did not move up in the draft lottery and will pick No. 13 in next month’s draft. Now that we know the draft order, who do pundits have the Heat drafting with less than six weeks until it begins? Let’s examine!
The Athletic (Sam Vecenie): Labaron Philon, G, Alabama
“Philon returned to school at the last minute last May, and he took advantage of his extra year. He stepped into Alabama’s lead guard role and averaged 22 points, 3.5 rebounds and five assists per game while shooting 50 percent from the field, 39 percent from 3 and 80 percent from the foul line. Though his defense took a step back from last season, when he was terrific while playing next to Mark Sears and only sharing the on-ball responsibilities, he was one of the best offensive players in the country.”
Where Matt currently has Philon ranked on his way-too-early big board: 14
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SB Nation (Ricky O’Donnell): Karim Lopez, F, New Zealand
“Lopez has been on NBA radars for years as a big forward who offers ball handling, scoring upside, and some defensive versatility. A native of Mexico who spent this season playing in the Australian NBL, Lopez showed flashes of downhill attacks, active rebounding on both ends, and defensive playmaking. He’s not a great outside shooter (32.2 percent on three attempts per game) or decision-maker yet (57 assists to 46 turnovers), which are clear areas for improvement as he enters the NBA.”
Where Matt currently has him ranked on his way-too-early big board: 25
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The Ringer (J. Kyle Mann): Dailyn Swain, G/F, Texas
“This would be an upside play for Miami, and not a far-fetched one. I expect Swain to gain momentum as the draft process continues because we just don’t see a ton of 6-foot-8 players who can attack open space with a live dribble the way he can. If these playoffs have shown us anything, it’s that rim pressure is still very much invaluable. As a driver, Swain was like electricity finding the ground this past season for Texas, and he’ll continue to become more dangerous and more capable of delivering punishment at the end of those drives as he adds functional strength. His shot will need to improve, but when you combine his downhill force with his sky-high steal percentage and his overlooked ability to really pass once he’s hit the paint, you’ve got a potential star in the right developmental circumstances.”
Where Matt currently has him ranked on his way-too-early big board: 27
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CBS Sports (Cameron Salerno): Jayden Quaintance, C, Kentucky
“Quaintance is one of the most unique prospects in this year’s class. His defensive tape from his freshman season at Arizona State was unbelievable. However, he played in just four games in 2025-26 at Kentucky due to knee swelling from a torn ACL suffered last season. He needs to go to a team where there’s no pressure to play significant minutes right away. Miami would be a great developmental spot.”
Where Matt currently has him ranked on his way-too-early big board: 16
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NESN (Jake Mozarsky): Labaron Philon
“Philon made a huge leap as a sophomore, averaging 22.0 points per game at Alabama. The Heat desperately need some outside scoring, and Philon provides that; he also became a better distributor, dishing out 5.0 assists per game in 2025-26.”
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This is the discussion we should be having, not some pie in the sky whale watching. Let’s get ourselves a top player, someone who will be a starter in this league. And, if the talent evaluators think that’s a guard, but a highly skilled one, then a Philon type would be a fine choice, even if a big is more the area of need.
Yes to Philon, no to the others
A rare moment of me totally agreeing with you.
I agree.
2026 TANKATHON NBA MOCK DRAFT
There are several interesting prospects at #13 and #41. See latest projections below.
https://www.tankathon.com/mock_draft
There should be several revised mock drafts after the end of the NBA Combine on May 17th. See player data below.
https://www.nba.com/stats/draft/combine