Two NBA scouts offer feedback on Yurtseven, Strus and Miami Heat’s other young prospects
For feedback on the Miami Heat’s young players, we solicited input from two veteran NBA scouts who watched the Heat a lot in summer league.
Some of their feedback:
▪ Center Omer Yurtseven (20 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.7 blocks, 48 percent shooting in Las Vegas):
Scout 1: “They have something there. If he continues to develop the way he has, he can be real good. He rebounded the hell out of the ball, and he showed in Sacramento that he can shoot the three. I saw him at Georgetown, and I didn’t know he could shoot like that.
“We interviewed him [previously]. Sharp kid. The Heat has a history of developing guys, and I don’t have any doubt he can develop into something. He already is something. After the second game in Sacramento, it was clear teams were going to be calling this guy [before he signed with Miami a day later].
“You’ve got Dewyane Dedmon and P.J. Tucker, who’s been an undersized 5 [center] almost all of his life. Markieff Morris can play some 5. So I’m not sure that [Yurtseven] will be a rotation guy this year. But they have something there.”
Scout 2: “The combination of the size (7-0), the shooting and the fact he’s a good rebounder definitely gives him a chance” to become an NBA rotation player.
▪ Forward Max Strus (20.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 40 percent on threes in Las Vegas):
Scout 1: “He’s a great catch-and-shoot player. Not a lot of teams run catch-and-shoot offense. At the next level, he’s a stand-in-the-corner shooter. I know he didn’t shoot threes at a high level last season, but what he was doing in summer league is impressive. To me, he’s a situational player. I didn’t see the defensive component.”
Scout 2: “He’s made himself into a player. Super hard worker. He’s got a legitimate skill. Not a great athlete but he’s a shooter — he’s clearly ahead of KZ Okpala. He has potential to be an end-of-rotation player, maybe their ninth guy.”
▪ Undrafted former Kansas guard Marcus Garrett (7.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 10 for 17 from the field in Las Vegas before missing three games):
Scout 1: “People say he can’t shoot, but his defense is ridiculous and he can defend multiple positions.”
News note: The Heat has conveyed to Garrett that it is interested in signing him to a two-way deal. But because he’s in the process of changing agents, a new agent cannot begin representing him until late this week, at the earliest.
That has slowed the process of getting Garrett under contract. The player is permitted to take the unusual step of negotiating a contract on his own, but that seems unlikely for an undrafted rookie.
▪ Forward Okpala (8.4 points, 8 for 22 on threes in Las Vegas):
Scout 1: “I don’t know how long they will wait for him to develop offensively. This season could be it for him.”
Scout 2: “He’s very suspect. He doesn’t shoot it well. Doesn’t handle well. Has a defensive element, obviously. He’s active. The problem is he’s not a 3-and-D guy. He’s just a D guy. He’s not a rotation player. I would be surprised if he makes it long-term. He doesn’t have a great feel. He doesn’t impact the game that much. He’s a marginal NBA player. I’m not a fan.”
▪ Undrafted former Wisconsin center Micah Potter (3 for 11 on threes in Las Vegas):
Scout 1: “He can shoot, but I’m not sure he’s an NBA player. He missed a crucial rebound in a game I did in Las Vegas, when he was right there.”
Scout 2: “Shoots it OK but slow. Not an NBA player in my opinion.”
ESPN SURVEY
ESPN’s Tim Bontemps recently interviewed a panel of 10 NBA scouts and executives and posed several questions.
Among them: What was the best move of the offseason? The Heat’s addition of Kyle Lowry received five of the 10 votes.
“I don’t love the money,” a West executive said, “but I just love the fit. He fits the Heat culture, and I just think he’s the piece they were missing -- plus they kept him away from everyone else who wanted him.”
An Eastern scout told Bontemps: “[Lowry is] a proven playoff performer. He has winning mentality, toughness, will fit like a glove.”
Here’s the full ESPN.com piece.
This story was originally published August 23, 2021 at 1:25 PM.
