Miami Heat’s Big Board: Top college players they’re watching closely

Things did not end well for the Miami Heat this season. In fact, it was a tumultuous season all along, with star forward Jimmy Butler forcing a trade, Miami overcoming a 10-game losing streak, and two Play-In games just to sneak into the playoffs. It’s safe to say Heat fans are looking forward to a brighter day, and it’s possible that it’s coming a lot sooner than they thought. The NBA Draft is right around the corner and while the Heat don’t have a top-10 pick, its ability as an organization to draft diamonds in the rough could have the team in a good position heading into next season.

Because of the way things panned out heading into the postseason, the Heat are likely to be drafting around pick #20. For many, this isn’t ideal. It’s no secret that this draft is stacked, and because the Heat made the playoffs their dreams at the lottery are dashed. It also doesn’t help that OKC owns Miami’s 15th pick. But there is an upside to such a stacked draft, the Heat might still get a great player at #20. Are you planning on betting on the draft? Betting.us offers everything from in-game NBA action to futures.

There are many Mock Drafts that are floating around anticipating what the Heat are going to do at twenty, so we’re going to dive in a little bit here and see what’s what.

NBA.com has the Heat picking Walter Clayton Jr. is probably the most recognizable name on this list. The National Champion Florida Gator was an absolute force in the March Madness tournament. He’s an elite shotmaker and playmaker, and one heck of an athlete. The only real downsides that Clayton Jr. brings to the table are his size and occasional questionable decision-making. But for a team that struggles significantly to score at times, he could be very helpful. If the Heat are focused on building an elite defense once again, Clayton Jr. might not fit its build – but he fills some gaps right away.

The Ringer has the Heat selecting South Carolina’s, Collin Murray-Boyles. Murray-Boyles makes a lot of sense if the Heat are really digging into its defense. With Bam and Kel’El already anchoring the backline adding an athletic 6’7 forward makes the Heat a lot bigger. The small-ball era that Spo ushered in has changed, with size playing a major role once again as made very clear by Houston with Sengun and Adams. At only 19 Murray-Boyles provides a long runway in the Heat development system. His efficiency, ability to grab defensive rebounds (6 a game), and block shots make him a tantalizing option. Spo usually likes to go older, so it’s possible his age plays a role in him not getting drafted by Miami.

Yahoo Sports has Miami going with Carter Bryant. The 6’8 Arizona Wildcat has a great defensive skillset and also brings a similar size to Murray-Boyles. He’s shifty and ultra-athletic and could be a fantastic lob threat, but for a team that struggles significantly to score – I don’t think he’s the best option for the Heat at the moment.

The Heat, in my opinion, is in desperate need of playmaking and scoring – so out of the three, the obvious pick, in my opinion, is Clayton Jr. With that being said, in my personal opinion, I’d love to see Jase Richardson end up in Miami black and red. There’s no real sign that he’ll fall to twenty even if many mock drafts have him going everywhere from 7-19. The Michigan State Standout and son of Jason Richardson fills a lot of gaps. Richardson is incredibly consistent for someone his age, shooting nearly 50% from the field and over 40% from three. He’s creative with screening and could develop into a great playmaker within the Heat system.

While the future might be uncertain, having picks in a draft this talented could set Miami up with a glue guy for the next generation.