Miami Heat NBA Draft: 3 rookies Miami should have traded up for
By Jack Simone
Prospects the Miami Heat should have drafted: Sharife Cooper
Sharife Cooper fell more than any other prospect in the NBA Draft. He was projected to be a top 25 pick by some mock drafts but ended up getting picked in the middle of the second round.
The 6-1 point guard was selected 48th overall by the Atlanta Hawks. There were plenty of trades in Round 2, so the Miami Heat could have easily gotten a pick.
As previously mentioned, New Orleans traded the 43rd overall pick to the Blazers, and on top of that, there were also trades at picks 36, 37, and 40.
The 20-year-old played one season and only 12 games with Auburn. Despite this, he put up historical stats that only one other player has managed to put up in recent history.
In his one season, Cooper averaged 20.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 8.1 assists. He shot 39.1% from00 the field and 22.8% from three-point range.
The only other NCAA freshman to average 20+ points and eight or more assists in the last 25 seasons is Trae Young. Ironically enough, the two are now teammates.
The Miami Heat could be in need of guard depth this offseason. Both Goran Dragic and Kendrick Nunn could end up leaving this summer.
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Adding Cooper would have brought an infusion of scoring and playmaking to the bench. He also has very high upside, so he could have grown with Bam Adebayo moving forward.