A look at Heat mock drafts and workouts. And Herro, opposing coach discuss Ware upside
With the Heat exploring the NBA's trade market -- including a potential deal for Phoenix's Kevin Durant -- Miami's only pick in this month's NBA Draft ultimately could hold its most value as a trade chip.
But if Miami ends up keeping the 20th overall pick, acquired from Golden State in the Jimmy Butler trade, there will be plenty of decent options.
Nearly a dozen college prospects and two international point guards have emerged as possibilities.
A recent ESPN mock draft has the Heat taking French League point guard Nolan Traore at No. 20.
ESPN draft analyst Jeremy Woo said 'Traore would amount to a big swing if he falls to this spot. Some scouts view him as a lottery-worthy talent, but an inconsistent season in France has put a damper on his draft stock. His size and speed, playmaking ability and promise as a shooter offer obvious upside if he can put everything together.'
An even more recent ESPN mock draft has Miami opting for German swing guard Ben Saraf, with this comment from the network's lead draft analyst, Jonathan Givony:
'The Heat don't have a great deal of shot creation or playmaking they can point to on their current roster, making the point guard position a clear priority this offseason.
'Saraf has excellent size, pace and creativity at 6-6, playing a big role for Ratiopharm Ulm in Germany, with an especially impressive playoff campaign to date. His strong instincts on both ends of the floor (combined with his youth) give him intriguing upside he can tap into long term.'
▪ St. Joseph's forward Rasheer Flemming is another name that makes sense. SI.com mocks him to Miami at No. 20 -- one spot after Traore comes off the board -- with this assessment:
'With Jimmy Butler shipped to Golden State last season, the torch in Miami has officially been passed to Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo. Now, the Heat are retooling with their eyes on a quick return to contention — and Rasheer Fleming out of Saint Joseph's could be a sneaky-good addition to help them get there.
'Built for Heat Culture, Fleming is a long, switchable, defense-first forward who plays with relentless energy. At 6'8' with a ridiculous 7'5' wingspan, he's got the kind of physical tools that jump off the page. He averaged 14.7 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.4 steals — rare numbers that speak to his defensive motor and versatility.
'But it's the shooting leap that really turns heads: Fleming knocked down 39% of his threes (62-of-159), showcasing legit stretch-four potential. If that shot holds, Miami could be landing a prototypical modern forward who fits their DNA and complements their rising core perfectly.'
Other college players who have been projected for the range of the mid teens to mid 20s include combo forwards Liam McNeeley (Connecticut) and Will Riley (Illinois), Michigan forward Danny Wolf, Arizona swing forward Carter Bryant, Georgia power forward Asa Newell, Michigan State guard Jace Richardson, Washington State swingman Cedric Coward, Colorado State shooting guard Nique Clifford, Stanford power forward Maxime Raynaud and Georgetown center Thomas Sobert.
Woo this week made the case for Miami to pick the 6-3 Richardson, noting his 'strong analytical profile mixed with his subpar positional size has made him divisive for NBA front offices. But in this part of the draft he becomes an interesting value bet, with strong role player qualities as a good shooter, decision-maker and willing defender who can help bolster almost any backcourt. The Heat need help in that area as they continue transitioning to a younger roster.'
Richardson averaged 12.1 points and shot 41.3 percent on threes for the Spartans last season.
USA Today has BYU point guard Egor Demin - a gifted, creative passer - falling all the way to the Heat at No. 20. ESPN has projected him as a lottery pick throughout the pre-draft process.
Workouts ongoing
San Francisco point guard Marcus Williams - who could go in the second round or undrafted - said on social media that he has worked out for the Heat.
Williams, 6-2, averaged 15.1 points, 4.3 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 2.5 turnovers last season while shooting 48.3 percent overall and 41.4 on threes. He scored 28 against Gonzaga in his final college game.
Kansas point guard Zeke Mayo, another potential second-round or undrafted prospect, also reportedly booked a Heat workout. Mayo, 6-3, averaged 14.6 points and 2.9 assists and shot 42.2 percent on threes in his one year at Kansas after three at South Dakota State.
Unlike several teams, the Heat does not announce the players who are summoned to Kaseya Center for pre-draft workouts.
▪ ESPN's Shams Charania reiterated Thursday afternoon that the Phoenix Suns are most focused on the Heat, Spurs, Rockets, Knicks and Wolves in Durant talks, adding that 'some teams are motivated to get a deal done sooner rather than later.'
The Miami Herald reported Wednesday that the Heat is interested in Durant, but at the right price.
Three New York newspapers reported the Knicks aren't pursuing him.
▪ I asked Tyler Herro about Ware's ceiling and received an interesting response:
'I always thought he could be special,' Herro said last season. 'His body, the way he plays, the way he goes about his work. He's always learning, listening. We've had young guys that don't listen. Just being able to have a guy like that who's open ears and wants to get better, I feel the sky is the limit for him.
'He reminds me of a combination of a bunch of different guys. Like a younger Tyson Chandler, maybe like Anthony Davis a little bit as far as the defensive side blocked shots. He's going to grow into his own and bring a new level of versatile bigs and kind of create his own lane.'
Could he average 20 and 10? 'For sure,' Herro said.
▪ Then there is this from 76ers coach Nick Nurse, on Ware's upside:
'Obviously, [he has] size and rim protection and some bounce. And you can't sleep on him on offense either. A little rim threat, a little runner threat. That makes him pretty useful. I always say if the big guy can put a threat on the rims at both ends, which he does, that's a good starting point in this league. And he provides a little bit more than that. A great addition for them.'
▪ The Knicks, searching for a head coach to replace Tom Thibodeau, have been denied permission to speak to five current NBA head coaches. But as of Thursday afternoon, the Knicks had not asked the Heat permission to speak to Erik Spoelstra.
According to reports, five teams have rejected Knicks' requests to speak to their coach -- Jason Kidd (Dallas), Ime Udoka (Houston), Chris Finch (Minnesota), Quin Snyder (Atlanta) and Billy Donovan (Chicago).
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