An early look at the Miami Heat’s NBA draft needs and targets

Small Forward

According to the 247Sports composite rankings, the consensus number one player in the 2016 high school class was Josh Jackson. He currently plays for the Kansas Jayhawks.

Jackson is almost 20, which is a little old for a freshman, but he’s got prototypical size (6-foot-8), and is an explosive player. I mean just check this out:

https://twitter.com/NBABeLike/status/801076111010648064

He’s also a good playmaker. Kansas runs him as the pick-and-roll ball-handler at times, and the early returns are positive. He enjoys setting up his teammates for easy baskets. He can pass, he can dunk, he can dribble, so what can’t Josh Jackson do?

Well, his one major knock will give Heat fans pause. He really struggles to shoot the basketball. Read this, from DraftExpress:

"Jackson’s jump shot is still a major work in progress, however – 28.6% from 3 (42 attempts) and 55.2% from the free throw line (58 attempts). As has been the case in the past, he’s much more comfortable off the dribble than off the catch, and will regularly turn down open looks for tough contested pull-ups. While he gets solid rotation and has some natural touch, there’s unnecessary motion in Jackson’s ‘windup’, and it will be interesting to see how he can progress as a shooter at Kansas, as that will be the key to unlocking his NBA potential."

Let’s say the Heat do take Josh Jackson. That would mean sliding Justise Winslow to the power forward slot, with Hassan Whiteside anchoring as the center. It’s impossible to start three non-shooters in today’s NBA. Just can’t do it. So unless Miami trades Whiteside for a center who spaces the floor, or Winslow dramatically improves his shooting once he returns from injury, it’s tough to see Riley taking another player who can’t shoot.

A guy Miami could look at instead is freshman Jonathon Issac from Florida State. He’s been compared to Kevin Durant because he’s got guard-like skills in a big man’s body. Issac is 6-foot-11, but handles the basketball extremely well. Just look at this Euro-Step from the three-point line:

So far, seven games into his career, he’s scoring 15 points per game. He’s also bringing down seven rebounds to go along with a block, and a steal. He’s proven to have range on his jumper too, shooting 44 percent from three.

Issac does have to get stronger however. His best position in the NBA might be small-ball power forward, so he needs more muscle for his body to handle going up against bigger guys. That’s not just a worry on defense, but on offense too. Issac has the quickness to blow past a lot of power forwards in the NBA, but does he have the strength to finish through contact?

Regardless, he would fit in nicely with the Heat. He’s a guy with the versatility to play small forward or power forward, and he can shoot, meaning you can play him next to Winslow. For Miami’s ailing offense, Issac could be a game-changer.