The miraculous postseason run of the Miami Heat came up just short. But the No. 18 pick in this year's NBA Draft is a chance to reload for next year.
The Miami Heat were the biggest surprise of the NBA postseason, almost becoming the first No. 8 seed to win an NBA title in a full, uninterrupted season. But their magical run ended, three wins short, against the Denver Nuggets.
The Heat have plenty to celebrate but unfortunately, time is short. The NBA Draft is less than two weeks away and the work begins almost immediately to upgrade this roster for next season and another run. Miami has the No. 18 pick in the first round of this year's draft, and a loaded class of prospects will give them plenty of great choices as they look for an impact contributor. Here are three prospects that could pay off in the short and long term.
Perfect NBA Draft picks for the Miami Heat: 3. Leonard Miller
Miller is a player with incredible physical tools and two-way potential but at this point, he's still fairly raw. The 6-foot-9 forward has an immense 7-foot-2 wingspan, bouncy athleticism and the quickness to feed positional versatility at both ends. He's been connected with the Miami Heat in several mock drafts, including our own, and makes a lot of sense.
In a perfect world, Miller could be a dynamic 4 next to Bam Adebayo — a swarming, switchable defender with a nose for the ball, a solid handle and the ability to beat other bigs down the floor in transition or attack slower matchups off the dribble. But he still needs a lot of reps and polish and that ceiling is a ways away. Even at the G League level (he spent last season with the Ignite) he was at his best when playing off instinct and his processing speed will need to increase significantly. He's also a decent but not elite mid-range shooter who will need to really develop from beyond the arc to round out his game.
Miller could be a great fit for the Heat down the road but that scenario might be two or three years off. If they're looking for someone who can contribute big minutes on another deep playoff run next season, he might not be the guy.
Check out our full scouting report on Leonard Miller for more information.
Perfect NBA Draft picks for the Miami Heat: 2. Jett Howard
Jett Howard's draft stock has seemed to slip since the middle of the college season. He was initially pegged as a lottery pick but has slid out of that range on most mocks and will almost certainly be available for the Heat at No. 18.
The 6-foot-8 wing (and son of Juwan Howard) is a fantastic outside shooter in almost every setting you'd want to see — static spot-ups, running off screens and shooting off the dribble. He has some potential as a secondary creator although a lot of that will lean on the threat of him as a pull-up shooter in the mid-range because he's not quite explosive enough to put consistent pressure on the rim operating out of the pick-and-roll. He is an off-ball shooter and complementary threat but probably doesn't have the versatility or tools to be a star at either end.
That lack of versatility is part of the reason he has slid, along with defensive concerns, but he could be a plug-and-play option for the Heat, even as a rookie, if they lose Strus and/or Vincent in free agency. His jumper is an NBA-ready weapon and can keep him in the rotation as he develops as a defender and creator.
Check out our full scouting report on Jett Howard for more information.
Perfect NBA Draft picks for the Miami Heat: 1. Bilal Coulibaly
Coulibaly might be somewhere between Miller and Howard in terms of NBA readiness. The 6-foot-7 wing has an enormous 7-foot-3 wingspan and special athletic tools. He's still just 18 but played a significant role for Victor Wembanyama's Mets 92 team this year, standing out as an elite perimeter defender and showing a lot of offensive development as the season went along.
He's mostly a slasher and finisher at that end of the floor right now but his tools and length make him a potent one. His shooting and ball-handling are a work in progress but, again, with his age and physical tools, he should be able to grow meaningfully in both areas. And on defense, he'd already be able to contribute with energy and effort, suffocating second-unit ball-handlers and off-ball scorers.
Coulibaly seems like he might be more prepared than Miller to contribute next season, even if it would mostly be at the defensive end. And because of his potential versatility, his ceiling is likely higher than Howard's. The biggest caveat is that Coulibaly has been a high riser and it seems increasingly unlikely that he's still on the board when the Heat are drafting.
Check out our full scouting report on Bilal Coulibaly for more information.
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