Miami Heat: What exactly do they plan to do with the 44th pick?

The Miami Heat made a trade with the Atlanta Hawks to acquire a 2nd-round pick in the NBA Draft. What might they have in store for the 44th overall pick?

The Miami Heat entered the NBA Draft process knowing that they had only one pick. As the prospects started to show themselves and display what they could be at the next level, the chances of finding a gem in the second round must have become greater and greater, so what did Pat Riley do? He found a way to get one, as most of us assumed he would.

According to peachtreehoops.com, a member of the SB Nation family , the swap was made for “cash and a conditional 2024 second-round pick.” This opens up a plethora of possibilities for the Miami Heat, as they need players who can put the ball in the hoop, to which there are a few projected to go in that range.

When thinking about the fact that the Miami Heat definitely need scoring and perimeter shooting to be specific, there are a few names that come to mind that should be there for the picking in that 44th overall pick range. Although Arizona State guard Luguentz Dort lacks a little of what you would be looking for in a shooter, his defensive ability, athleticism, and ability to flat out score would make him a good fit and prospect for the Miami Heat. While they have one of the best player development systems in the league, his 6’4″/220-pound frame would make for an excellent vessel to try and get the most out of for this Miami Heat program and coaching staff.

Another name that immediately comes to mind is Kyle Guy of the National Champion Virginia Cavaliers. Although he plays more like a shooting guard while only standing at 6’2″, he has decent enough ball handling abilities to be able to get by, but that only complements his real superpower which is the ability to flat out shoot it.

Another name that kind of fits in the same Dort mold is Talen Horton-Tucker from Iowa State. His shooting leaves something to be desired such as Dort, but he also is a very physically and athletically gifted guard who could even help a bit on the wing. Although neither is him yet and may never get to this Hall of Fame level, there once was a kid named Dwyane Wade out of Marquette who offered similar questions, and that seems to have worked out just fine for Pat Riley and the Miami Heat.

On top of these names, there are quite a few players that could be there at 44 that we have talked about before. While Carsen Edwards will and should go higher than that, he could by some miracle be there to be had at that pick. Edwards is a scoring machine and although he shot an extremely high volume at Purdue, he made good on that volume.

One of a pair of Tennesee Volunteers could also be the option at 44 as well, and there are different benefits to drafting them both. While Grant Williams could be a load on the block and the ultimate team guy, drafting him at 44 would likely mean that they didn’t take a swing at P.J. Washington from Kentucky at 13. This would be the preferred option from this direction, as although you can’t always expect a flat out stud at 13, Washington is neither that nor the right fit for the Miami Heat in my opinion.

If they chose not to go with Williams at 44, then the other Volunteer should be there. Admiral Schofield would be a great fit for the Heat and for multiple reasons. He is a big and physical wing that doesn’t mind getting nasty and playing defense, but he also has the ability to score it and shoot it, which extends out to three-point range.

The Miami Heat have quite a few options that they could go with here, but the biggest win in the whole thing is that they have the opportunity to have those options. To be extremely clear, this is a win, even if it seems like a low pick.

The Miami Heat need people that can score the ball, but they don’t have a ton of cap room available to go out and secure a guy to do so. This is the next best option and the Miami Heat should capitalize nicely on the opportunity. Besides, they are pretty good at finding diamonds in the second round, just see Josh Richardson if you have a hard time believing such.