NBA Mock Draft: Ranking top 15 realistic prospects for the Miami Heat

9. Jett Howard, F, Michigan

During his freshman season at Michigan, Jett Howard showed a lot of NBA potential. Especially with his efficiency on the offensive end. Howard averaged 14 points and three rebounds on 37 percent shooting from 3-point range on seven attempts per game.

On paper, he’s a prospect that could be of interest to a team like the Miami Heat. However, as you would expect, there are some concerns as he makes the pivot to the NBA.

One of the bigger reasons why there are some doubters about Howard is the fact that he was increasingly inconsistent on the defensive end. So much so that despite his impressive and standout offensive versatility, there’s a chance that he ends up falling out of the top 20.

The connections to the Heat (with Juwan Howard, his father) would make drafting Howard interesting and he would theoretically be a great fit next to Bam, but his defensive troubles could be a bigger issue than many realize. Especially for the Heat. If Miami feels comfortable about that end of the floor with Howard, he could end up being an excellent selection at No. 20. But that’s a very big “if.”