Miami Heat: Could Lonnie Walker IV have been a perfect fit?
How would Lonnie Walker IV have faired with the Miami Heat?
The Miami Heat didn’t have a pick in last night’s 2018 NBA Draft. But in an alternate universe, they would have walked away with Lonnie Walker IV.
There were a lot of great talents up for grabs on Thursday evening, a handful of which may have fit the South Florida bill. While some fans would have loved to see Michael Porter Jr. on next year’s roster, others dreamt of watching Luka Doncic play alongside Goran Dragic. Others yet just wanted a chance to be part of the draft, period.
However, much of Heat Nation had had their eyes on Walker. And not just as the next potential Heat rookie. They were already rooting for him as a collegiate player.
A Pennsylvania-native, Walker attended Miami during the 2017-18 season. He averaged 11.5 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists over 32 games for the Hurricanes, leading the team in points. In his first collegiate start, he scored 26 points and grabbed seven rebounds against Boston University, scoring 25 points versus Louisville.
He ended his college career as Mr. Pennsylvania Basketball, Jordan Brand Classic Co-MVP, a McDonald’s All-American and a part of the ACC All-Freshman Team.
Pretty easy to see why he declared for the draft, just one year into his time at Miami.
The shooting guard was selected No.18 overall by the San Antonio Spurs, a somewhat unexpected move considering Walker never worked out for the organization. However, with many projecting Walker to be a lottery pick, not a lot of teams thought they stood a chance of grabbing him.
Likely including the Heat.
Now obviously, it would have taken some pretty big moves for president Pat Riley to acquire him. Nevermind that there’s already a bit of a roster logjam, with both Tyler Johnson and Dion Waiters still on the books. However those things aside, working in the realm of a perfect world, Walker would have been a great addition.
It’s no secret that head coach Erik Spoelstra loves positionless basketball. And Walker is already committed to slide into whatever NBA role is asked of him.
"“If [head coach Gregg] Popovich needs me to dive on the floor strictly, then I’ll strictly dive on the floor. I’m going to do whatever it takes for us to get that win sooner rather than later, hopefully receive that championship.”"
After all, he is already used to being a jack-of-all-trades, forced to play point guard at Miami after injuries plagued the team.
He also has a strong, confident, go-getter type of personality that would seemingly fit in perfectly with the Heat’s unique culture.
"“…I’m ready to compete, and at the end of the of the day, I want to be the best. I’m addicted to being the best. I’m obsessed with being the next great. It’s time to be a dog, and it’s just that simple I’ve got something to prove.”"
It’s hard to imagine the likes of James Johnson and Walker not instantly becoming best friends.
Next: What do the Miami Heat get from Duncan Robinson?
Walker may be San Antonio’s property for now, but one never knows; maybe one day the lengthy scorer will find himself playing for the Miami Heat.