Was the Miami Heat’s draft selection the right one, and should they make another move in the second wave of the offseason?
This weekend marks the beginning of NBA Summer League, which brings the whole basketball world to Las Vegas. Several careers will launch over the 10-day event, which also gives unproven talent a chance to try out for an NBA or G League roster spot.
It’s a chance for the Miami Heat to see their first-round choice up close, assess players who might be the team’s next big development success, and network with other NBA clubs’ players.
Was the Heat’s selection the right one?
Of course, a summer league sample size will be necessary before we can truly know the answer, but Miami’s first-round selection Kel’el Ware will be evaluated against the best rookies in his class.
In the previous month’s draft, the Heat selected Ware with the fifteenth choice, bypassing prospects like Jared McCain, Dalton Knecht, and Tristan da Silva. What other players don’t have, Ware does. He is a willing 3-point shooter, blocks shots, and stands 7 feet tall with a tremendous 7-foot-4 wingspan. His explosive 26-point performance during the LVSL warmup in San Francisco demonstrated his enormous potential.
However, McCain made a splash in his summer league debut in Salt Lake City after being selected by the 76ers with the next choice. In the Heat’s last game of the California Classic, Knecht scored 20 points. Both rookie guards are a little bit more experienced than Ware when they join the NBA, so it should be taken into consideration. However, if Ware underperforms, Heat supporters may become anxious about whether they selected the appropriate player or whether this is just another Precious Achiuwa scenario.
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