Miami Heat Draft: 3 Reasons for intrigue in Kentucky’s Nick Richards
The Miami Heat tend to like Kentucky guys and it has worked out for them. Why not try their hand again there.
He’s A Kentucky Guy
The Miami Heat keep going to that Kentucky talent pool. It’s the well that never seems to run dry.
Why not go back there for another toe-dip or so? It can’t hurt.
If you look at their history with the program, their recent history anyway, they haven’t struck out. Their last two draft picks were from the University and they both seem like major hits.
This one won’t cost you as much but could turn out to be the exact same thing. It’s a pretty sweet deal.
Richards size, athleticism, and upsides are all great, but that Kentucky pedigree is certainly the real deal as well. Pat Riley knows that about his alma mater and he’s gotten that with Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo.
That’s the second reason that Nick Richards should really interest you.
He’s Practically A Poor Man’s James Wiseman
I am just going to be honest here, but when I watch them play, when I hear the strengths and weaknesses, and when I read the analysis pieces or pre-draft comments from different sources, I tend to see a lot of the same things about James Wiseman that I see in and have read about Nick Richards.
The fact is this. Richards is a few years older than Wiseman, true, but he isn’t that much less of a player than Wiseman is, if any at all.
They are both raw. They both struggle with the finer nuances of the game.
Neither is going to operate from the high post in the next year or so and while Wiseman has the chance to anchor a defense as soon as next season, one would believe based on his projected draft status, Richards won’t be that far behind.
That’s why I say a “poor man’s” version. For the way it all works out though, with the fact that you are risking a high lottery pick on Wiseman, I would say that perhaps taking a little longer to attempt to pull the same things out of a likely more mature Richards is the smarter move based on what it costs to acquire each them.
Perhaps that’s just me though. The cost to potential return ratio seems to work out in the favor of Richards.
Next. Miami Heat Roundtable: Would you trade Tyler Herro as apart of any deal?. dark
The Miami Heat need a guy like Richards and it wouldn’t take much to get it done. They better either take him in the second round or nab him soon after the draft is over though, because you can expect a guy of his size, athleticism, and pedigree to be snatched up pretty quickly after it’s all said and done.