The Miami Heat will work out two centers with a ton of potential, both of whom are expected to be taken in the first round of the upcoming NBA Draft.
With Willie Reed opting to enter free agency, the Miami Heat go into the offseason not knowing who their backup center will be. The upcoming NBA Draft offers several of intriguing centers, and the Heat have invited a pair for private workouts in the coming days, according to the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson.
"Creighton center Justin Patton and Texas center Jarrett Allen are both scheduled to work out for the Heat at AmericanAirlines Arena, with Allen’s session slated for June 18."
The Heat will have about $37 million in cap space this summer, and are expected to offer big-name free agents like Gordon Hayward and Blake Griffin, as well as their own free agents Dion Waiters and James Johnson, before offering to re-sign Reed. They could offer him their $4.3 million exception (Miami also has a $3.3 million exception available, according to Jackson) but Reed could get more lucrative offers.
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Since the draft occurs before free agency, the Heat won’t know if they’ll be able to retain Reed when they are on the clock on June 22. Having been linked to a number of center prospects, Miami should be prepared to find his replacement.
Justin Patton is a long 6-11 center with a 7-foot-3 wingspan. In one season at Creighton, he averaged 12.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.4 blocks in 25.5 minutes per game. He’s raw, but super athletic. With some work he can become a threat in the pick-and-roll and from the perimeter.
Another raw center with tons of upside is Jarrett Allen. At 6-foot-10 with a 7-foot-5 wingspan, he’s freakishly long (like a young Hassan Whiteside). He’ll thrive finishing above the rim and, with his length, has the potential for the rim protection the Heat value out of their centers.
Both players spent just one year in college and are among the most raw at their position in the upcoming draft. They are both expected to be selected in the first round, with DraftExpress ranking Patton No. 21 and Allen No. 17.
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However, with that rawness comes tremendous upside. With Whiteside already in place, the Heat would have time to let them develop and see that talent play out.