Miami Heat NBA Draft: Was KZ Okpala the right pick?
By Jack Simone
KZ Okpala hasn’t exactly panned out yet for the Miami Heat. He was selected 32nd overall in the 2019 NBA Draft and acquired by the Heat via trade.
The Miami Heat sent their 2022, 2024, and 2026 second-round picks to the Pacers in a three-team deal that gave them the rights to Okpala. At this point in time, that trade looks like a questionable decision.
In his first two years in the NBA, Okpala hasn’t done much. He has played 42 total games and averaged 11.3 minutes per game.
His career shooting numbers are 38.6% from the field and 23.5% from three-point range. Okpala averages 2.4 points per game and still has a long way to go before cracking the rotation.
Though he was a second-round pick, there were still some solid players left on the board. Looking back, was KZ Okpala the right pick for the Miami Heat?
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Players the Miami Heat passed on for KZ Okpala: Daniel Gafford
Daniel Gafford really burst onto the scene last season after he was traded to the Washington Wizards. He has proven to be a quality center in the NBA.
He was taken 38th overall by the Chicago Bulls, just six picks after the Miami Heat selected Okpala. If the Heat picked him, he would be a quality backup center for Bam Adebayo.
After being traded to the Wizards, Gafford averaged 10.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game in only 17.7 minutes of action. These are numbers the Miami Heat could use coming off their bench.
Gafford could still be under contract now and the Miami Heat wouldn’t have to worry about signing a backup center. This would put them in a slightly better position this offseason.
Should the Miami Heat have taken Gafford?: Yes