3 Young players the Heat should develop, 2 to give up on
By Tyler Watts
Develop: Orlando Robinson
Robinson went undrafted in 2022 after three years at Fresno State. The Heat signed him to an exhibit-10 contract last summer, but it took three different contracts to keep him in Miami for the entire season. The 23-year-old averaged just 3.7 points and 4.1 rebounds in 13.7 minutes per game over 31 NBA contests, but he was dominant in the G League.
Robinson was impactful on both ends of the floor with the Sioux Falls Skyforce. He was scoring over 20 points per game, blocking shots, rebounding, and acting as a secondary playmaker.
The seven-footer translated that to summer league as he averaged 20.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.7 steals in 28.6 minutes per game over six contests. It is a very guard-oriented game during the summer, so producing monster numbers only further proves Robinson’s impact.
Orlando Robinson could be the next undrafted find by the Miami Heat, but he needs more time to develop. The franchise should be looking to help him improve his game in hopes he can become a key rotation piece in the NBA quickly.
Robinson is on a standard contract, and he will compete for backup big man minutes during training camp. No matter the result, the Heat need to develop the seven-footer.