The 2021 NBA Draft has come and gone. Unfortunately for draft enthusiasts, the Miami Heat did not make any picks.
It was well-established before the draft began that the Heat did not have any picks. Some believed they could trade up, but ultimately Pat Riley decided to stand pat (no pun intended).
While they did not make any official selections, there is always a chance for teams to sign players after the draft ends. This year, the Miami Heat took advantage of that.
This year’s NBA Draft was supposedly one of the best in recent history. Not only did it have some of the most talented players, but also had a very deep pool of quality contributors.
Big names such as Cade Cunningham and Jalen Green went off the board first, but other talented players ended up falling. Sharife Cooper, a projected top-25 pick, ended up being drafted 48th overall.
Players such as Austin Reaves and Aaron Henry even found themselves falling out of the draft altogether. These are the types of players the Miami Heat had a chance to snag after it was all said and done.
Pat Riley is amazing at locating undrafted talent. Well, let’s hope the players he managed to find this year can keep that track record up.
The Miami Heat signed Javonte Smart, AJ Lawson, RJ Nembhard, DJ Stewart Jr., Dejon Jarreau, and Micah Potter after the draft concluded. The plan is that all of them will be a part of the Heat’s Summer League roster in Las Vegas this summer, with a chance to earn a spot on the regular-season roster.
Miami Heat Summer League rookies: Javonte Smart, AJ Lawson, RJ Nembhard
Javonte Smart
Javonte Smart is a 6-4 point guard who spent three years at LSU. He was a solid scorer, distributor, and shooter for the Tigers.
In his junior season, Smart averaged 16 points, 3.7 rebounds, and four assists per game. He shot 46% from the field and 40.2% from three-point range.
According to scouting reports, Smart has the potential to be a solid point guard. He is crafty with the ball and can handle it well.
He does need to improve at making decisions, however, but overall has a great NBA body. Smart could end up being a solid addition to the Miami Heat’s point guard rotation.
AJ Lawson
AJ Lawson is a 6-6 shooting guard who spent three years at South Carolina. He was one of three rookies All U Can Heat said the Miami Heat should target if they ended up going undrafted.
Well, Lawson did end up in that position, and Miami evidently decided to sign him. He made headlines at the NBA Draft Combine, putting up 17 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, and four steals in one of the scrimmages.
In his final season with the Gamecocks, Lawson averaged 16.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game. He shot 39.4% from the field and 35.1% from three-point range.
He is an extremely confident player who has stated that he believes he is one of the best players in this draft class. A player with that sort of attitude should fit in well with the Miami Heat.
RJ Nembhard
RJ Nembhard is a 6-5 point guard who spent four years at TCU. At 22 years old, he will be old for a rookie, but that sort of experience could be just what Miami is looking for.
In his senior year with the Horned Frogs, Nembhard averaged 15.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, and four assists per game. He shot 40% from the field and 33.9% from three-point range.
Scouting reports list his defense as one of his best qualities. He has the ability to pick up players from halfcourt and can guard multiple positions.
He’s an intense competitor who just needs to clean up his game a little bit. He’s another player whose attitude will fit in nicely with the Heat.
Miami Heat Summer League rookies: DJ Stewart, Dejon Jarreau, Micah Potter
DJ Stewart Jr.
DJ Stewart Jr. is a 6-6 small forward who spent two years at Mississippi State. He made a huge jump in his sophomore season and has the potential to make an impact at the NBA level.
In his second year with the Bulldogs, he averaged 16 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.1 assists. Stewart shot 41% from the field and 34.4% from three-point range.
According to scouting reports, Stewart has made strides in the past year to improve his scoring ability. His game is becoming more fluid as he looks to improve as a shot creator.
He is another prospect who just has a great body for the NBA. If the Miami Heat can develop him right, he might be a solid addition to the team.
Dejon Jarreau
Dejon Jerreau is a 6-5 point guard who played one year at UMass and three years at Houston. Jarreau played a huge role on last year’s Houston team which made a run in the NCAA Tournament.
In his final season with the Cougars, Jarreau averaged 10.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game. He shot 43.2% from the field and 34.4% from three-point range.
Jarreau’s playmaking and defense will be his calling cards in the NBA. At 6-5, he has the chance to be an impact player in regard to both of those skills at the NBA level.
He will turn 24 years old in January, so he is certainly very old for a rookie. However, if he can prove to be an immediate contributor, age won’t matter as much.
Micah Potter
Micah Potter is a 6-10 forward who spent four years at Wisconsin. Potter is a stretch big man that would be able to provide some much-needed floor spacing for the Miami Heat.
In his last year with the Badgers, Potter averaged 12.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game. He shot 50.4% from the field and 38.6% from three-point range.
This sort of efficient shooting is what will earn Potter a spot in the NBA. With no real floor spacers at the four or five, the Miami Heat could really benefit from Potter’s shooting ability.
His defense and rebounding need to improve, but with the Miami Heat’s roster as it is currently constructed, his shooting would be more than enough to earn a roster spot. He just has to prove his worth in the Summer League.