The Draft is always an opportunity for teams with great ambitions and limited room for maneuver in terms of salary to bring in talent with a contract that does not take up too much space in the “salary cap”.
With the 15th and 43rd choices in the Draft which will be held next week, the Heat will have the opportunity to bring in new blood after losing in the first round of the playoffs. But it will be necessary to take into account the balance between youth and experience in the Heat squad.
“When you look at your squad, you look at its construction and you try to have a balanced group between veterans, players who are in their “prime” and then young players”, evaluates Pat Riley's right-hand man, Adam Simon. “We try to develop young players, but we also try to win every year. So I think it's good to add young players to our core every year. But sometimes it takes time to integrate a 19 or 20 year old player into a group of experienced veterans. »
Will Pat Riley keep the two Draft choices?
Young people, the Heat already have two. There is Jaime Jaquez Jr. who finished on the All-Rookie First Team this season, a first since 2009 in the franchise, quickly finding his role. There is also Nikola Jovic, the “sophomore”, whose role varies depending on injuries. The young Serbian alternates between “DNP” and starts (starting 38 times in his 46 regular matches).
The question is whether the Heat will be able to find a new rare gem, like Jaima Jaquez Jr, selected outside of the “lottery”, to immediately bring to the Florida franchise.
“In theory, it’s good to have players on rookie contracts”believes Adam Simon. “But if your squad has too many young players, they need to be able to contribute. So, of course, we'd like every player to be able to be thrown into the thick of things and have a role. But we're used to acquiring players who are 22, 23, 24 and needing a few years to get them into the rotation. »
Clearly, the Heat does not have much time for the development of “prospects” that are too raw.
