The Miami Heat have an opportunity to take a big swing on a high-upside prospect in the NBA Draft.
This year’s draft is loaded with premier talent, and with the No. 20 pick, Miami could land a young player to build with. ESPN made a lists of top draft options for each first-round team, based on the best available talent.Jase Richardson was named a viable option. His combination of positional size and an efficient statistical season at Michigan State make him a potential high-reward selection late in the draft.
The 6-foot-3, 185-pound guard is the son of 2003 Slam Dunk Champion Jason Richardson, who averaged 18.3 points over a 14-year NBA career.Richardson’s strong analytical profile mixed with his subpar positional size has made him divisive for NBA front offices, but in this part of the draft he becomes an interesting value bet, with strong role player qualities as a good shooter, decision-maker and willing defender who can help bolster almost any backcourt. The Heat need help in that area as they continue transitioning to a younger roster,” ESPN wrote.
Richardson averaged 12.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.9 assists on 49.3 percent shooting from the field last season. As a freshman, Richardson helped lead the Spartans to the Elite Eight, recording several 20-point performances along the way.
As a consistent scoring threat, Richardson could develop into a reliable role player if selected by the Heat.
