4. Kris Murray, F, Iowa
With as much success as his brother Keegan Murray has had with the Sacramento Kings during his rookie season, I would imagine that Kris Murray is going to get a decent shot to prove that he too can be an impactful player at the next level. One of the biggest knocks on Murray is the fact that he’s going to be 23 by the time his rookie season begins in the NBA. But if there’s a team that is looking for a more experienced player, perhaps Murray would be their prospect to target.
Why could he make sense for the Heat? Well, it’s simple. If the Heat is looking for a player that could come in and play a role right away, Murray may fit the mold. He’s made enough of an improvement on the offensive end of the floor that he deserves to be a first-round pick. If he can prove that he can be a capable (and consistent) defender, Murray could carve out a contributor role for a team sooner than you may think.
Coming off a season in which he averaged 20 points and eight rebounds per game on 48 percent shooting from the field, the production is there. The jump that he made from his sophomore to junior season is not something that should be overlooked either.
Does Murray have a high ceiling? Probably not. But that doesn’t mean he can’t be a really good player for a really good team. And perhaps even right away.