Who will Heat take with No. 15 pick in 2024 NBA Draft? A guide to the options and what to know

With the NBA Draft and league’s free agency frenzy approaching, the Miami Heat has plenty of decisions to make in the coming days.

But one of the first decisions it will make this week comes in the first round of the draft on Wednesday. The Heat holds the 15th overall pick.

The Heat also holds the 43rd overall pick in the second round of this year’s draft, which spans two days this year for the first time. The first round begins Wednesday at 8 p.m. and the second round begins Thursday 4 p.m. before free agency opens around the league on Sunday at 6 p.m.

While the Heat is not allowed to trade this year’s first-round pick prior to the draft because of NBA rules, Miami could select a player at No. 15 on behalf of another team as part of a trade that’s agreed to before or during the draft but is announced and finalized after the draft.

If the Heat holds on to the 15th selection, who will it use it on?

Based on the latest mock drafts issued by ESPN, The Ringer and the Athletic, there’s a list of prospects who are projected to be near locks to be selected in the top 10: French forward Zaccharie Risacher, French center Alex Sarr, Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard, UConn guard Stephon Castle, G League Ignite forward Matas Buzelis, Tennessee wing Dalton Knecht, UConn center Donovan Clingan and Colorado wing Cody Williams. Unless any of those players surprisingly fall or the Heat trades up, those eight prospects will be off the board when it’s Miami’s turn to pick.

Here are 18 players who are more realistic options for the Heat at No. 15 in the first round, with a few assuredly being taken before it is Miami’s turn to pick:

▪ Carlton Carrington, guard, Pittsburgh: One of the youngest players in the draft, as Carrington turns 19 in July. That means he brings clear upside as a 6-foot-4 combo guard with a 6-8 wingspan. But that also means he might need more time than other prospects in this range to develop into an NBA contributor. Carrington is known for his shotmaking ability, especially off the dribble, averaging 13.8 points and 4.1 assists per game as a freshman at Pittsburgh this past season.

▪ Devin Carter, guard, Providence: Has ties to Miami and the Heat, as he played high school basketball at Doral Academy and is the son of former Heat player and assistant coach Anthony Carter. At 6-2, Carter is considered to be one of the best perimeter defenders in this year’s draft class. He has also continued to improve on offense, averaging 19.7 points per game while shooting 84 of 223 (37.7 percent) from three-point range as a junior at Providence this past season. At 22 years old, Carter is an older prospect, but his two-way ability makes him an intriguing talent.

▪ Isaiah Collier, guard, Southern Cal: After arriving at Southern Cal as the No. 1-ranked recruit in the 2023 high school class, Collier (6-3 and 205 pounds) averaged 16.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 49 percent from the field and 27 of 80 (33.8 percent) from three-point range as a freshman this past season. His offensive game is built around his downhill attacking ability that creates offense for himself and others, but will that skill translate to the NBA? He still has plenty of upside as a prospect who turns 20 in October.

▪ Tristan Da Silva, forward, Colorado: At 23 years old, Da Silva is an older prospect whose ceiling might not be as high as younger prospects in the Heat’s range, but he also appears to be a safer bet than others to become a quality NBA rotation player because of his combination of size (6-8 and 217 pounds) and ability to contribute on both ends of the court. Da Silva averaged 16 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game while shooting 64 of 162 (39.5 percent) from three-point range as a senior at Colorado this past season. He made nearly 40 percent of his catch-and-shoot threes in college, according to Synergy.

▪ Rob Dillingham, guard, Kentucky: Not the biggest prospect at 6-foot-1 and 164 pounds, but Dillingham is 19 years old and has the potential to be a dynamic scorer in the NBA. He averaged 15.2 points per game while shooting an efficient 47.5 percent from the field and 64 of 144 (44.4 percent) from three-point range as a freshman at Kentucky this past season. But whether he can hold up on the defensive end in the NBA with his slight frame remains to be seen.

▪ Ryan Dunn, wing, Virginia: Considered by some to be the top defender in this year’s draft class. Dunn, 21, averaged 1.3 steals and 2.3 blocks per game as a sophomore at Virginia this past season. At 6-6 and 214 pounds with an impressive 7-1 wingspan, he also has the versatility to effectively guard most players on the court. The issue is his offense remains a work in progress, as he shot just 7 of 35 (20 percent) on threes this past season. Can Dunn become a better outside shooter and offensive player to complement his elite defensive talent?

▪ Zach Edey, center, Purdue: One of the most polarizing prospects in this year’s draft class. He’s already an accomplished player after winning back-to-back National Player of the Year awards in each of the last two seasons at Purdue, averaging an impressive 25.2 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game as a senior this past season. His massive frame of 7-4 and 299 pounds with a 7-11 wingspan is also intriguing. But considering that Edey’s size could make him a liability on the defense in the modern-day NBA and he has also only made one three-pointer in his four college seasons, there are reasons why he’s not projected to be a top-10 pick.

▪ Kyle Filipowski, center, Duke: At 6-11 and 230 pounds, Filipowski’s ability to shoot, pass and handle is why he’s projected to be drafted in the first round. Filipowski, 20, averaged 16.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 50.6 percent from the field and 39 of 112 (34.8 percent) on threes as a sophomore at Duke this past season. Like most rookies, Filipowski will need to continue building his body to deal with bigger and more physical players in the NBA, but his versatility as a big is something teams across the league value.

▪ Johnny Furphy, wing, Kansas: This Australian prospect is projected to be drafted in the first round because of his outside shooting ability at 6-foot-8. That size also helped Furphy finish well at the rim in his lone college season, averaging nine points, 4.9 rebounds and one assist per game as a freshman at Kansas. Three-point shooting is why Furphy is expected to be taken in the Heat’s range, though, as he has the skill set to hit threes on the move coming off screens and handoffs. The question marks with Furphy come on defense and whether he will be able to hold up on that end in the NBA.

▪ Ron Holland, wing, G League Ignite: There’s plenty for scouts to like here, as Holland turns 19 in July and comes with a 6-foot-7 frame that features a 6-foot-11 wingspan. He averaged 19.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.4 steals and 0.9 blocks per game as an 18-year-old playing professionally in the G League this past season. However, he shot just 23.7 percent on threes with the Ignite and his offense needs time to develop. But his potential on defense is what has caught NBA teams’ attention, as he has the athleticism and size to be a versatile defensive stopper.

▪ DaRon Holmes II, center/forward, Dayton: A well-rounded 21-year-old big man who recorded impressive numbers at Dayton, averaging 20.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 0.9 steals and 2.1 blocks per game as a junior this past season. Holmes also shot 54.4 percent from the field and 32 of 83 (38.6 percent) on threes. At 6-9 and 236 pounds, Holmes also has a long 7-1 wingspan and explosive leaping ability. If he can hit threes at a respectable percentage at the NBA level, he will be a real weapon as a screen setter who can attack the rim and pick-and-pop. On defense, Holmes is a good shot-blocker who has some versatility to also defend on the perimeter.

▪ Bobi Klintman, wing, Sweden: Played at Wake Forest in 2022-23 before going pro to play in Australia this past season, where he averaged 9.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 0.7 assists in 21.3 minutes per game for the Cairns Taipans. At 6-9 and 212 pounds, Klintman’s combination of size and skills makes him an interesting prospect. He has versatility on defense. On offense, he has shown the ability to hit outside shots and create for others through his passing ability. Klintman, 21, is from Sweden.

▪ Tyler Kolek, guard, Marquette: An experienced and crafty guard who has drawn NBA comparisons to former Heat guard Goran Dragic. Kolek, 23, averaged 15.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 7.7 assists per game while shooting 49.6 percent from the field and 47 of 121 (38.8 percent) from three-point range as a senior at Marquette this past season. Kolek is a skilled passer who can hit open shots and also get to the rim despite not having elite athleticism. But the question will be: Can Kolek hold up on defense at the NBA level as a 6-1 guard?

▪ Jared McCain, guard, Duke: A 6-2 guard who’s known for his shotmaking and playmaking. He averaged 14.3 points, five rebounds and 1.9 assists per game while shooting an eye-opening 41.4 percent on 5.8 three-point attempts per game as a freshman at Duke this past season. McCain, 20, also comes with some versatility because he has the skill set to play both guard spots. But he’s still a small guard and will need to find ways to score in the paint against opponents overplaying him on the perimeter and also hold up on defense in the NBA.

▪ Nikola Topic, guard, Serbia: Once considered a top-10 prospect in the class, the Serbian guard appears to have fallen a bit on draft boards because of a knee injury that was diagnosed as a partially torn ACL earlier this month. The fact that predraft evaluation revealed the 6-6 Topic also comes with a negative 6-5 wingspan also didn’t help. But Topic still holds value for teams drafting in the Heat’s range because of his upside as a talented passer and paint scorer who’s only 18 years old. Topic has drawn NBA comparisons to Dragic.

▪ Tidjane Salaun, forward, France: At 18 years old, Salaun is a 6-9 forward with a 7-1 wingspan and plenty of upside. He’s a big who possesses some perimeter skills and, by all accounts, plays very hard. Salaun has the potential to become a two-way force in the NBA, but it might take some time. He averaged 9.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and one steal in 23.2 minutes per game across 49 appearances for Cholet Basket in France this past season. Whether Salaun reaches his full potential could depend on whether he develops a reliable three-point shot and continues to grow as a defender.

▪ Ja’Kobe Walter, wing, Baylor: Has the frame and skill set to fit the three-and-D mold for the type of wing that so many NBA teams need. Walter, 19, stands 6-4 with a 6-10 wingspan and has the potential to develop into an excellent outside shooter and solid defender. But Walter shot just 34.1 percent on threes as a freshman at Baylor this past season. He will need to become the quality three-point shooter who many scouts expect him to be to reach his full potential in the NBA.

▪ Kel’el Ware, center, Indiana: Ware, who has drawn comparisons to NBA players such as Myles Turner and Jarrett Allen, stands at 7-feet and 230 pounds with a 7-5 wingspan. He has the physical tools to be a quality NBA player. His skills also fit the mold of a modern-day big, displaying the ability to make outside shots on the offensive end and block shots on defense end. Ware, 20, averaged 15.9 points, 9.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.9 blocks per game while shooting 58.6 percent from the field and 17 of 40 (42.5 percent) from three-point range as a sophomore at Indiana last season. But Ware’s effort and focus have been called into question by some predraft scouting reports.

Among other prospects projected by some to be drafted in the first round and will very likely be available at pick No. 15 are UCLA center Adem Bona, French forward Pacome Dadiet, Miami wing Kyshawn George, Baylor center Yves Missi, Illinois wing Terrence Shannon Jr., Creighton wing Baylor Scheierman, G League Ignite forward Tyler Smith and California wing Jaylon Tyson.

WHAT ARE OTHERS SAYING?

ESPN’s latest mock draft has the Heat using the 15th pick to select Edey, writing of the projection: “Edey is drawing interest from teams that are drafting in front of and behind Miami, with every squad in the back half of the lottery after San Antonio said to be in the market for a center. Utah, Portland, Sacramento and the Los Angeles Lakers were some of Edey’s latest stops on the workout circuit.”

The Ringer’s latest mock draft has the Heat picking Kolek at No. 15, writing: “Kolek’s stock appears to be on the rise as the draft approaches, with teams viewing him as a versatile guard who can provide immediate knockdown shooting and reliable playmaking. I’ve heard him connected as high as here, though perhaps if a lottery team trades down then Kolek could be a target for them too. If Miami lands him, then he would fill a clear position of need and could develop nice two-man chemistry with Bam Adebayo.”

The Athletic’s latest mock draft predicts the Heat will take Holland at No. 15, writing: “Holland’s motor excites NBA teams the most. He constantly plays hard, getting the most out of his athleticism. His energy can sometimes cause him to be overaggressive and overly physical on defense, but amid the Ignite’s poor season, Holland showed a capacity for growth that impressed many scouts.”

BOTTOM LINE FOR HEAT

While the Heat needs to upgrade its offense after finishing with a bottom-10 offensive rating in each of the last two regular seasons, Miami also needs to guard against the possibility of losing two of its top perimeter defenders in free agency this summer. Haywood Highsmith is set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason and Caleb Martin is expected to bypass the $7.1 million player option in his contract to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

The Heat prefers to take the best player available in the draft, but trying to find the best perimeter defender available who also has some offensive upside may not be a bad strategy this year.

Among the prospects in the Heat’s range who would fit that mold are Carter and Holland, but there’s a chance both could be picked by teams drafting ahead of Miami.