The Miami Heat reached out to several skilled shooters in NBA Draft
A six-pack of Miami Heat notes on a Monday:
▪ Though Heat officials have not been flying all over the country to use their 10 maximum permitted pre-draft visits, they have shown interest in working out several prospects beyond Arizona center Zeke Nnaji, who auditioned for them Oct. 25.
Among others with whom they’ve broached a potential workout: Kentucky combo guard Immanuel Quickley and Texas Tech shooting guard Jahmi’us Ramsey.
Both are skilled shooters and both already have done Zoom sessions with the Heat.
Quickley, in fact, has interviewed twice with Miami, according to a source.
Though mock drafts have predicted Quickley to go late in the first round or somewhere in the second, some believe the 6-3 guard could end up going in Miami’s range at 20, and the Heat is showing a lot of interest. One NBA evaluator told me he thought the 30s was more realistic, but there are some people in the industry who like him earlier than that.
Quickley, the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year, averaged 16.1 points and 4.2 rebounds and shot better on three-pointers (42.8 percent, 62 for 145) than two-pointers (40.9) last season, his second at Kentucky. In SEC games, he shot 48 percent on threes.
“Quickley has good size for a guard at 6-foot-3 with a 6-foot-10 wingspan that helped him emerge as one of the best defenders in the college game,” ESPN’s Jonathan Givony said. “His ability to slow down guards, wings and forwards alike was a key part of the Wildcats’ success this season, along with his excellent perimeter shooting.
“NBA teams will likely want to get a better feel for Quickley’s playmaking and shot-creation ability operating on the ball in private team workouts, a role they didn’t get to see enough of in his time at Kentucky.”
His assist to turnover ratio last season (56-to-48) wasn’t good, but everything else about his game looks NBA-ready.
Miami also has interest in Kentucky swing guard Tyrese Maxey, but he could be gone before the Heat’s pick at No. 20.
▪ Ramsey, meanwhile, averaged 15.0 points in his one season at Texas Tech, shooting 44.2 percent overall and 42.6 percent on threes (60 for 141).
But his ball-handling needs polishing; he had 60 assists, 54 turnovers. Ramsey is projected to go in the Heat’s range at 20 or possibly later.
“The appeal around Ramsey is readily apparent on first glance, as he stands 6-foot-4, with a strong frame, solid athletic ability and terrific scoring instincts,” Givony said.
“He’s a gifted isolation scorer who can bully weaker guards and shows terrific shot-making prowess from all over the floor thanks to his unlimited confidence and excellent mechanics pulling up off the dribble from long vantage points.”
Ramsey, who turned 19 in August, is one of the youngest players in the draft.
▪ Miami also has taken a look at Washington Huskie teammates Jaden McDaniels (a 6-9 forward projected by some to go before Miami’s pick at 20) and Isaiah Stewart, a 6-9 forward/center. One evaluator told me he actually has Stewart ahead of McDaniels and 20 would be a good spot for Stewart.
The Heat was scheduled to watch clients for McDaniels’ agency in a workout in Santa Barbara and has done a Zoom session with Stewart.
McDaniels averaged 13.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and shot 40.5 percent from the field and 33.9 percent on threes in his one college season.
Stewart (16.6 points, 8.7 rebounds) “already has the body to battle with NBA bigs,” ESPN’s Mike Schmitz said. “Relentless pursuing offensive rebounds. But lacks elite height at 6-foot-9 and doesn’t make up for it with great leaping ability. Struggles to defend on the perimeter.”
And he shot just 4 for 19 on threes.
▪ The Heat called to speak to Kentucky sophomore point guard Ashton Hagens, who’s getting a long look from Miami as a potential second-rounder (should the Heat acquire a second-rounder) or after that if he goes undrafted.
Hagens, a defensively skilled point guard, averaged 11.5 points, 6.4 assists and 1.9 steals last season. But his shooting needs work; he shot 40.4 percent from the field and 25.8 on threes (16 for 62)....
Miami also was expected to view a group workout for Minnesota center Daniel Oturu and Arizona point guard Nico Mannion, both projected to possibly go in the 20s or 30s.
And Miami has done a Zoom session with College of Charleston point guard Grant Riller, another strong shooter projected to go in the late 20s or 30s. (Miami doesn’t have a second-round pick.) Riller averaged 21.9 points and shot 36.2 percent on three-pointers as a senior last season.
The Heat previously has shown interest in TCU guard Desmond Bane, considered one of the best shooters in the draft. Bane, represented by Miami Beach-based Seth Cohen, has been rising in some mock drafts; Yahoo has him 23rd. But the Heat hasn’t interviewed him or worked him out.
▪ Surprisingly, as of midday Friday, the Heat hadn’t asked for a workout with Duke forward/center Vernon Carey Jr., even though he’s living and working out in South Florida.
Carey is projected by some to go in the 20s, but his father — the former Dolphins and UM standout offensive lineman — believes he will go sooner. Some mock drafts have him falling into the second round.
▪ With regard to Dan Craig leaving the Heat to join Ty Lue’s staff with the Los Angeles Clippers, an agent who represents an NBA head coach said he believes that the fact David Fizdale was fired by the Grizzlies and Knicks is working against current Heat assistant coaches and that Craig could get a fresh look by leaving the Heat.
That’s surprising and not especially fair considering the Heat is considered one of the best-coached teams in the league. And Fizdale had success in his first year in Memphis (43-39), then accepted a no-win situation in New York that fell apart because the Knicks couldn’t land any stars in free agency and then cobbled together a patchwork roster unbalanced toward power forwards.
Over the past few years, Craig has interviewed for several head jobs and impressed the Indiana Pacers recently. But he didn’t land that job or any other head job.
Two Spoelstra assistants have become NBA or major college head coaches: Fizdale and Juwan Howard with Michigan, where he was 19-12 and 10-10 in the Big Ten his first season.
Fizdale returning to the Heat staff is not considered a realistic possibility, according to a source. The Knicks are still paying him after firing him last season.
Here’s my Monday Hurricanes 6-pack, including details on what happens if Miami and Notre Dame finish tied for second in the conference.
Here’s my Monday Dolphins piece, with notes on Tua Tagovailoa and every position.
This story was originally published November 2, 2020 at 5:16 PM.
