Heat loads up on wing players after draft, gets mixed grades on pick
BY BARRY JACKSON
Having used its only draft pick on a power rotation player, the Heat loaded up on wing prospects in the hours following Thursday’s NBA draft.
Among those added to the Heat’s Summer League roster that will play games in Orlando and Las Vegas, according to various reports:
• Virginia 6-2 point guard
London Perrantes. Averaged 12.7 points and 3.8 assists as a senior, while shooting 41.4 percent from the field and 37.4 percent on threes (65-147). Considered a pesky defender. And he was exceptional on three-pointers as junior, shooting 48.8 percent (78 for 160).
• Colorado State 6-4 guard
Gian Clavell. The Hialeah-Miami Lakes product averaged 20.4 points and 6.3 rebounds last season and was named Mountain West Player of the Yeat. He shot 43 percent from the field and 38.6 percent on threes (78 for 2002).
• Michigan 6-6 guard/small forward
Zak Irvin. Averaged 13.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists while shooting 45.3 percent from the field and 34.4 percent on threes (54 for 147). Aggressive defender and third in three-pointers in Michigan history.
• Pittsburgh 6-9 forward
Jamel Artis. Averaged 18.2 points and 4.9 rebounds while shooting 47.5 percent from the field and 39.2 percent on threes (74 for 189) last season.
• Monmouth 5-8 guard
Justin Robinson. The diminutive point guard was a two-time MAAC Player of the Year and averaged 19.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.4 seals last season, while shooting 41.7 percent from the field and 40.3 percent on threes (96 for 238).
• UCF 6-5 guard
Matt Williams. Averaged 15.1 points and 4.3 rebounds. Shot just 39.1 percent from the field and never shot 40 percent or better in any of his four seasons at UCF. He was 38.4 percent on threes last season (126 for 328).
After selecting Kentucky power forward/center Bam Adebayo with its only draft pick, Miami signed another Kentucky player after the draft: 6-9 forward Derek Willis, who averaged 7.0 points and 5.4 rebounds while shooting 47.8 percent from the field and 37.7 percent on threes (49 for 130).
The Heat also added former BYU 6-10 forward
Eric Mika, who averaged 20.3 points and 9.2 rebounds last season while shooting 52.8 percent from the field.
The Heat is expected to add more undrafted players to its summer league roster and we will update those as they are identified.
The Heat also reportedly has added two players who played overseas to its summer league teams: former Notre Dame center
Zach Auguste, who went undrafted in 2016 and center Norvel Pelle, who went undrafted in 2013 after not attending college and has bounced around foreign leagues and the D-League.
Meanwhile, analyst reaction on the Heat’s selection of Adebayo hasn’t been very good.
We mentioned in posts this week that Miami
was looking to take a big man at No. 14 if Luke Kennard and Donovan Mitchell were off the board (they were) and mentioned Adebayo was an option but would be more appealing if the Heat picked around 20th.
Some analysts apparently felt he was overdrafted, with not a single mock draft that I saw having him as high as 20.
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Pat Riley talks about Miami Heat's draft pick[/paste:font]
Miami Heat President Pat Riley holds a news conference after the Heat chose Bam Adebayo as its first pick in the NBA draft on Thursday, June 22, 2017 at the AmericanAirlines Area in downtown Miami.
Matias Ocner For the Miami Herald
Some reaction:
• Chad Ford gave Miami a C plus, his second-worst grade ahead of only Milwaukee: “Bam Adebayo looks the part of a lottery pick, with an NBA body, long arms and explosive athleticism. He has particularly quick feet for a player his size, allowing him to guard multiple positions on the floor.
But there seemed to be something missing during his freshman year. He didn't always rebound or play with intensity. Despite his size and athleticism he struggled to finish over length. And while he reportedly has a nice perimeter game, he didn't show it at Kentucky.
Perhaps he'll be like Skal Labissiere and blossom outside of Kentucky. But I'm a little skeptical and I would've taken Harry Giles.”
• The Ringer gave Miami a C: "Everyone said the draft would open up after the first dozen picks were off the board, and the Heat made the first real shocker of the night when they selected Adebayo, who was seen as a late-first-round pick through most of the draft process. . . . There will always be a place in the NBA for a player with Adebayo's size and speed, but big men who don't protect the rim and can't space the floor have become much less valuable in the last few years."
• Fox Sports gave the Heat a C-: “Pat Riley and the Heat made the night's first truly surprising pick at No. 14, taking Adebayo as a likely backup to Hassan Whiteside. The former Kentucky big man has the size and strength to become a force on offense, but he's not much of a defender, and he doesn't stretch the floor."
• Yahoo gave Miami a C-: "Bam Adebayo helped himself by improving his jump shot during the pre-draft process, but what we saw on tape from his lone collegiate season is a broken release point that yielded little return. A terrific athlete with good hands, Bam will rim-run with the best of them, but his lack of offensive prowess presents a significant issue considering he isn’t a prolific shot-blocker, either."
Here’s a look at everything Pat Riley had to say in his late-night press conference Thursday night.
) in workouts, his floor is probably a backup center.
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