NBA Draft Expert Highlights Heat’s Dilemma Over ‘Ready-Now’ Guard Pick

Feb 17, 2019; Charlotte, NC, USA; Miami Heat general manager Pat Riley during the 2019 NBA All-Star Game at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The Miami Heat have a range of options to pursue in the 2025 NBA Draft.

With only a few days left, the Heat need to narrow down which draft prospect best fits their roster. Having missed out on the Kevin Durant sweepstakes, Miami can’t afford to come up empty in the draft as well.

In an NBA draft preview press conference, draft experts Jonathan Givony and Bobby Marks discussed the Heat's presumed mindset as they consider their selection. Givony highlighted Miami’s track record of solid picks, noting they could use their keen evaluation skills to target a ready-now guard.

"Miami is a team that has a great track record of drafting, so it's hard to second guess those guys," Givony said. "I think people are looking at their roster and probably saying, not a lot of ball handling on this team and not a lot of shot creation, since they traded Jimmy Butler. If there's a guard they like at 20, it would make sense."

The likes of Florida’s Walter Clayton Jr. and German point guard Ben Saraf have been mentioned as potential prospects for Miami. However, finding a guard legitimately ready to contribute to a team with win-now aspirations can be a challenge.

Givony ultimately said that if the Heat can't find a guard ready to contribute immediately, they may simply opt to select the best player available and continue searching for roster pieces in free agency.

"The amount of guards drafted at 20 ready to help a playoff caliber team from day one is pretty rare," Givony emphasized. "So that's why I could see them going in a lot of different directions. I would imagine they've studied this draft extensively and they're just going to take the best player ultimately regardless of need."

"I could imagine they look towards free agency, trying to add more of a veteran who can actually play a bigger role for them from day one," he continued.

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