2024 NBA Mock Draft: Heat proactively address obvious team needs
By Wes Goldberg
Top of the second round
31. Toronto Raptors select Tyler Kolek
32. Utah Jazz select Carlton Carrington
33. Milwaukee Bucks select Juan Nunez
34. Portland Trail Blazers select DaRon Holmes II
35. San Antonio Spurs select Quinten Post
36. Indiana Pacers select Ryan Dunn
37. Minnesota Timberwolves select Trentyn Flowers
38. New York Knicks select Cameron Christie
39. Memphis Grizzlies select Ulrich Chomche
40. Portland Trail Blazers select Ajay Mitchell
41. Philadelphia 76ers select Dillon Jones
42. Charlotte Hornets select Ariel Hukporti
43. Miami Heat select Adem Bona
With Bryant holding a player option, Robinson still in the midst of his development and Kevin Love entering his age-36 season, the Heat could use their second-round pick to address their depth at center behind Bam Adebayo.
Bona is climbing draft boards after helpful measurements at the draft combine (6-foot-8 with a 7-foot-4 wingspan) and his work ethic. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony wrote that Bona has the best motor in the class.
“No player in this draft plays harder than Bona, who flies up and down the court with incredible purpose, hedging screens well beyond the 3-point line and chasing down blocks in transition with track-star-type speed,” Givony wrote.
All of this sounds like a natural fit for Heat Culture. It doesn’t hurt that Bona, like Jaime Jaquez Jr., was coached by Mick Cronin at UCLA. Erik Spoelstra is an open admirer of Cronin and the way he develops his players.