Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra finds himself with an unusual opportunity this offseason as he prepares for the NBA Draft. Unlike recent years, where deep playoff runs limited his focus on prospects, the Heat’s early exit this season has afforded Spoelstra more time to delve into draft preparations. Reflecting on previous seasons, Spoelstra mentioned, “Last year, I only had three days to catch up on the draft.
Since early June, the Miami Heat have been conducting predraft workouts at Kaseya Center, engaging in ongoing discussions about prospective draft picks. According to sources within the league, several players have already participated or are scheduled to participate in workouts for the Heat in Miami. These players include Devin Carter from Providence, Zach Edey from Purdue, Ron Holland from G League Ignite, Kel’el Ware from Indiana, Isaiah Collier from Southern Cal, Keshad Johnson from Arizona, and Tristen Newton from UConn.
Among these prospects, Carter, Edey, Holland, Ware, and Collier are considered potential options for the Heat with their first-round pick at No. 15, while Johnson and Newton are among the considerations for their second-round pick at No. 43.
Last year, Erik Spoelstra did not begin focusing on draft preparation until mid-June, just days before the Heat ultimately selected Jaime Jaquez Jr. from UCLA with the 18th overall pick. Ideally, Spoelstra prefers to be coaching in the NBA Finals rather than evaluating draft possibilities. According to Adam Simon, the Heat’s scouting leader, Spoelstra typically shifts his attention to the draft once the team’s season concludes. At that point, the scouting department provides Spoelstra with player film, reports, and insights to bring him up to speed on potential draft selections.
