If the Miami Heat were forced or decided to abandon their pursuit of Kevin Durant, embracing a youth movement could very well begin at the 2025 NBA Draft. And Cedric Coward, a late-blooming and rising draft prospect, could be a potential prospect that could pay dividends for years to come, beyond just on draft night.
Even though the Heat is hoping it could cement a deal for KD between now and NBA Draft night, the reality is that it just may not happen. For one reason or another, the Heat has to already be looking at potential plan Bs. Many of which may not be appealing to the fan base. One of them revolves around a potential teardown of the roster while taking a player with huge promise in the first round of the NBA Draft.
That could be difficult for the Heat to pull off with the No. 20 overall pick, but there could be some intriguing prospects on the board that may fit what Miami could be looking for. Coward is one of those prospects.
Cedric Coward's upside falls in line with what the Heat need
In every NBA Draft, there are prospects that develop into stars that no one genuinely sees coming. While he's far from a perfect prospect, I believe Coward to be one of those players. As a late bloomer, Coward has seemingly operated under the radar in the pre-draft process.
Coward has the ideal size and length for the modern wing. He's already proven to be an impact defender and has improved mightily on the offensive end of the floor over the last two years of his college basketball career. Of course, Coward doesn't come without any risk.
He played in just six games this past season and doesn't have a ton of experience against elite talent. But the reward could very well outweigh the risk, especially in the Heat's developmental system. Over the last month, the whispers surrounding his potential have begun to grow.
At this point, there's a chance the Heat would have to move up a few spots in order to put themselves in a position to select him. At that point, that wouldn't be too much of an issue, considering the Heat could be entertaining a teardown of the roster.
Coward's upside as a two-way star down the line should have Heat fans willing to gamble heading into draft night, especially if a player like KD is off the table.
If the Heat isn't able to land KD via trade, their plan B options are limited and underwhelming. Taking an intriguing young prospect and embracing a "gap year" would seem like the best path forward for the Heat. Coward would fit perfectly for the Heat if they went down that route.
Whether the Heat's decision makers will agree remains to be seen. Miami has generally been against this type of team-building concept, but if the Heat misses out on KD, it may be time for Pat Riley and the rest of the front office to explore new tactics.