Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Young talent dropping into Heat’s division.
MIAMI — As the Miami Heat waited through Thursday’s NBA draft, they began to get a better read on the next wave of competition in their own division and conference, as well insight into the two firstround picks they had traded for Goran Dragic.
In a move at the top of the draft, after the Phoenix Suns selected Arizona center Deandre Ayton at No. 1 and the Sacramento Kings took Duke forward Marvin Bagley Jr. at No. 2, the Atlanta Hawks traded away their No. 3 selection to the Dallas Mavericks for a conditional 2019 first-round pick and the No. 5 selection.
After forwarding Slovenian forward Luka Doncic to Dallas, the Hawks then wound up with Oklahoma guard Trae Young, who led NCAA Division I in both scoring and assists last season.
With Atlanta also in the Southeast Division, the Heat are assured of four games annually against the Hawks.
The Mavericks-Hawks swap came after Michigan State forward Jaren Jackson went at No. 4 to the Memphis Grizzlies.
One pick after Young went at No. 5, the Orlando Magic, another Heat Southeast rival, selected Texas center Mohamad Bamba at No. 6.
That selection likely will alter the dynamic of the Heat-Magic rivalry, with incumbent Magic center Nikola Vucevic having thrived against the Heat over the years.
The Eastern Conference’s influx of youth continued with the Chicago Bulls selecting Duke forward Wendell Carter Jr. at No. 7, the Cleveland Cavaliers selecting Alabama guard Collin Sexton at No. 8, the New York Knicks taking Kentucky forward Kevin Knox at No. 9, the Philadelphia 76ers picking Villanova forward Mikal Bridges at No. 10 and the Charlotte Hornets going for Kentucky guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at No. 11.
The Cavaliers’ pick of Sexton was similar to the Heat selecting Shabazz Napier in the 2014 first round, unware at the time of the future of LeBron James, who would move on that offseason to the Cavaliers. James again is positioned to relocate this offseason.
Gilgeous-Alexander then was dealt by the Hornets to the Los Angeles Clippers, who at No. 12 selected Michigan State forward Miles Bridges for them.
For the Hornets, another divisional rival assured of four regular-season games against the Heat, the Bridges addition is part of a considerable offseason makeover that includes Wednesday’s trade of Dwight Howard to the Brooklyn Nets.
The Washington Wizards, another team in Heat’s division, then took Oregon forward Brown at No. 15.
That then had the draft at the No. 16 selection that the Heat forwarded to the Phoenix Suns as the first of two first-round picks due from the 2015 trade for Dragic, with an unprotected 2021 first-round pick also dealt in that trade.
At No. 16, their second selection of the first round, the Suns selected Texas Tech guard Zhaire Smith, who then was dealt to the 76ers for Mikal Bridges, with Philadelphia also getting the Heat’s unprotected 2021 first-round pick from the Suns.
All the while, the Heat waited through the process to see what could fall to them, even if it meant waiting until after the draft.
Heat Vice President of Player Personnel Chet Kammerer said the team’s scouting staff would be working the phones for undrafted prospects in advance of a summer camp that opens June 29.
“We’ve had players that have gone undrafted and end up being a part of this,” Kammerer said, with Tyler Johnson and Udonis Haslem standing as a prime examples from the current roster.
Even with the demise of the Orlando summer league, the Heat have maintained their commitment to two such tryout schedules, participating in summer leagues in July in Sacramento and Las Vegas.
With only Bam Adebayo expected to move on to summer league from the season-ending 15-man playoff roster, there will be ample opportunities for undrafted players, including ones the Heat have scouted overseas for that very purpose.