If the NBA's Summer League was any indication, it does seem as if the Miami Heat have done it once again. Ryan Conwell looks like the next second-round draft find. Through just a handful of games in the summer league, Conwell did just enough to separate himself from the rest of the competition.
At the very least, in the eyes of the Heat. And, heading into an incredibly important season, Conwell's emergence as a true second-round steal could end up being a huge development for the Heat.
Miami decided to shut Conwell down after just four games, not because of injury but due to the fact that they felt they had seen enough from the rookie. What's "enough?" Well, that's an interesting question. But Miami likely wanted to get Conwell back to Miami and right into their system, ending his summer league stint a week early.
Ryan Conwell impressed during his stint in summer league
During three games in the California Classic, Conwell would go on to average 21 points, five rebounds, and three assists on 41 percent shooting from the field. He only played one game in the Las Vegas Summer League before he was shut down, in which he finished with 19 points on 44 percent shooting from the field in his only showing.
But it's not just the production that likely caught the eye of the Heat's scouting department. It's also the fact that he was everywhere on the defensive end of the floor. By no means is Conwell considered a shutdown defender, but the effort was visible.
Especially for a team like the Heat, which prides itself on that end of the floor, the easiest way for young players to make a difference is with a defensive mindset.
Of course, not every young player is willing to roll up their sleeves and focus on that end of the floor, but it does seem as if Conwell is. And that, despite the impressive production in the summer league, is how he could theoretically find a path to contributing to the Heat sooner rather than later.
Time will ultimately tell just how much of a role that Conwell could end up playing for this Heat team, but it's clear that he did leave an impressionable mark on the organization during his time in the summer league.
I can't imagine the Heat would've decided to pull him from that valuable experience if that wasn't the case.
The Heat may have done it again. Conwell could very well be next in the long line of Heat draft finds.
Add us as a preferred source on Google