With the NCAA season concluding earlier this week and the NBA regular season ending Sunday, mock draft season is in full swing.
Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo! Sports released his latest mock draft. The Miami Heat are projected to have two first-round picks.
With their projected first-round selection, the Heat are predicted to select Oklahoma Sooners guard Jeremiah Fears at No. 11.
“Tyler Herro became an All-Star this season, showing his ability as a combo guard,” the article wrote. “But he needs a backcourt partner. Fears is a dynamic guard with a twitchy attacking style and a knack for coming through as a clutch shooter. He was one of college basketball’s youngest freshmen, and it showed with his shaky decision-making as a shooter and passer. But he has a feel for shot creation and a handle that lets him get anywhere on the floor, so he may only need time to emerge as a star in Miami’s system.
With Terry Rozier’s inconsistent play this season, the Heat could be looking to add another guard to pair with Herro. Fears averaged 17.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists while leading the Sooners to their first NCAA tournament appearance since 2021.
With their other selection acquired from the Golden State Warriors through the Jimmy Butler trade, the Heat are predicted to draft Illinois Fighting Illini forward Will Riley at No. 21.
“Riley has dynamic driving ability and playmaking instincts that scream upside as a jumbo-sized, shot-creating wing,” the article added. “Selecting him would follow the same philosophy that the Heat took with Kel’el Ware, betting that their culture and developmental success could maximize Riley’s talents. But his jumper is streaky, and his defense is unreliable since he is so lean physically and lacks fundamentals.”
The potential addition of Riley would add to the crowded forward room including young players such as Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Nikola Jovic.
MIAMI ADDING WESTBROOK THIS OFFSEASON?
Amid the tumultuous end to the Denver Nuggets season, many are wondering about the future of their players.
Despite a 48-32 record and No. 4 standing in the Western Conference, the Nuggets fired coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth on Tuesday.
One player that could be looking for a new home this summer is veteran guard Russell Westbrook. The future Hall of Famer signed a two-year contract with Denver last summer with a player option available for next season. If he opts out of his contract, Fadeaway World believes the Miami Heat could be a realistic destination for the former MVP.
“The Miami Heat seem like the perfect destination for Russell Westbrook from a temperamental perspective,” the article wrote. “Similar to how Jimmy Butler was considered perfect for ‘Heat Culture’ for all these seasons, Westbrook brings a lot of traits that an organization like the Heat values. His never-ending effort on the court and clear dedication to keeping his body in the best shape possible are already massive tick marks for the franchise.”
Westbrook, 36, is no longer the triple-double machine from his earlier years. However, he has been impactful throughout the season. He is averaging 13.2 points, five rebounds and 6.1 assists while shooting 44.8 percent from the field.
“A Westbrook-Herro backcourt could work, given Herro is one of the best combo guards in the NBA right now,” the article later added. “Even if you don’t want Russ to start, he’d succeed as a bench guard for many of the aforementioned reasons across teams. Bringing those on-court virtues to the Heat alongside his relatively seamless personality fit into the franchise’s ethos would make this a very attractive low-risk summer signing.”
MARTIN CLAIMS HEAT SHOULD BLOW IT UP
The Denver Nuggets fired head coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth with just five games to go in the regular season.
The Nuggets’ controversial move came despite the team being tied for the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference with a handful of teams. Malone coached Denver to a championship in 2023 over the Miami Heat and reportedly had a great relationship with franchise star Nikola Jokic.
Malone joined ex-Memphis Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins’ in being let go deeper into the season than is customary, proving the NBA can be unpredictable.
Former No. 1 overall pick Kenyon Martin believes the Heat should follow the recent trend and make similar changes at the top.
“I think Miami needs a different situation… just like Denver just did,” Martin said on the Gilbert Arenas Show. “If I’m [Erik Spoelstra}, I ain’t got to do it my way yet without Pat [Riley].”
Spoelstra has been at the helm since 2008, when Riley was promoted to the team president he has remained in since. Spoelstra, once a top assistant on the 2006 championship-winning team who started as a video coordinator, has blossomed into one of the NBA’s most decorated coaches.
Spoelstra has led the Heat to two championships and holds the fourth-most regular season wins among active coaches, behind Gregg Popovich, Doc Rivers and Rick Carlisle.
While there has been plenty of chatter about Riley stepping aside at some point, his relationship with team owner Mickey Arison means it’s likely that any move will come on his terms. Miami making any move that would result in Spoelstra no longer being part of the organization would be more stunning than the firings of Malone and Jenkins, which dropped jaws around the league.
Sean Jordan is a contributor to Miami Heat On Sports Illustrated. He can be reached at sjorda06@syr.edu.
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