Heat Notes: Draft, Strategy, Johnson

The Heat are likely to be without a pick in the upcoming draft, but the team will continue to scout prospects and remain ready for an opportunity to trade back into the draft, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel writes.

“You’re never sure whether the opportunities may come to you before the draft or during the draft, and so you have to scout and prepare as if you’re potentially anywhere,” GM Andy Elisburg said. “Most of the time, the opportunity may present itself when you weren’t expecting the opportunity to present itself.”

Philadelphia will receive Miami’s first round pick if it falls outside the top 10, which is likely to happen, as our Reverse Standings show. The Heat sent their 2016 second-round pick to the Celtics in the 2014 Joel Anthony trade.

Here’s more from South Beach:

  • Most prospect workouts and interviews are scheduled based on the draft position of a team. That could leave Miami without the opportunity to vet a player prior to drafting him, which is something Elisburg indicates is not an issue, as Winderman writes in the same piece. “We’ve drafted some players we didn’t have workouts for or didn’t come in for interviews, including last year Justise WinslowElisburg said.Caron Butler, also, in the past,”
  • Joe Johnson has made 64.7% of his shots from behind the arc since arriving in Miami, and the team appreciates his offensive contributions, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes. “Joe came at the perfect time,” Dwyane Wade said. “We were missing something. He’s been that missing piece for us.”
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