The Miami Heat came out of the 2022 NBA Draft with Serbia forward Nikola Jovic with the 27th pick as their only selection. Miami also signed six undrafted players after the NBA Draft concluded.
What does Jovic bring to the Heat and what do Miami’s undrafted signees bring to the organization’s summer league team?
Miami Heat drafted Nikola Jovic with the No. 27 pick
The Miami Heat drafted Serbia forward Nikola Jovic on Thursday night and it has brought up many questions about Jovic’s play after playing overseas. What does the 19-year-old forward bring to Miami?
Jovic is a decent shooter off the dribble who is also a very solid shooter overall. The 6-foot-10 forward averaged 11.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 3.4 assists while shooting 42.8% from the field in the 2021-2022 regular season.
However, Jovic’s inconsistency as a scorer was on display after only shooting 42.8% from the field. The forward also lacks an elite first step off the dribble when handling the ball.
The 19-year-old forward excels at scoring on off-ball motion plays but also possesses solid playmaking abilities. Jovic is a decent rebounder, but not an elite rebounder for his size.
The same goes for his shot-blocking and athleticism. It is decent but not elite, which is probably expected for a very young developmental player.
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Jovic’s biggest improvement needs to be on the defensive end where he tends to be unfocused and doesn’t have as much strength as other players.
While there might be a lot for Jovic to work on with Miami, this is still a great selection with the No. 27 pick. Jovic is very young and has the skills to be a good player one day with the right development.
It might have been intriguing to trade down and pick up more draft assets, but Jovic being available at No. 27 is worth biting the bullet on a little bit more money.
Was it a steal for Miami? Time will tell, but this one deserves an “A” draft grade from experts.
Miami Heat undrafted players in 2022
Jamaree Bouyea, guard, San Fransisco
Jamaree Bouyea, 22, is a 6-foot-2 guard out of San Fransisco. Bouyea averaged 17.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.0 assists while shooting 47.0% from the field in his fifth college season with San Fransisco.
Bouyea is a fast and skilled point guard who is a fast on his feet playmaker. The 22-year-old guard is a good three-point shooter who can stretch the floor for the Miami Heat’s summer league team.
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The guard shot 36.7% from the three-point line in his final season at San Fransisco. However, his offense isn’t perfect as he struggles to score in traffic and has a streaky jump shot.
Bouyea is a decent rebounder and has pretty good defense that translates into steals and blocks. However, he can tend to gamble too much on defense and is undersized.
Overall, Bouyea is a very intriguing player on this list and could be the one that comes out for the Miami Heat’s second two-way slot next to Mychal Mulder.
Jalen Adaway, guard, St. Bonaventure
Jalen Adaway, 23, is a 6-foot-5 guard out of St. Bonaventure. Adaway averaged 15.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.0 assists while shooting 47.4% from the field in his senior season.
Adaway is a good shooter and the stats showed that when he shot 51.0% on 9.1 two-point field goal attempts and 37.6% on 3.4 three-point attempts per game.
The guard was also solid from the free-throw line after shooting 82.6% on 2.7 attempts per game. Adaway’s scoring might be the biggest basic takeaway from his game compared to his defense.
The 23-year-old guard also has solid defense after averaging 1.0 steals per game with only an average of 1.9 fouls. Adaway also has good athleticism that should be seen during the eye test this offseason.
Adaway’s athleticism is notable and could provide some electric plays during the Miami Heat’s summer league competition when given a chance.
Aaron Wheeler, forward, St John’s
Aaron Wheeler, 23. is a 6-foot-9 forward out of St. John’s. Wheeler averaged 10.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.5 assists while shooting 48.1% from the field in his senior year.
Wheeler is a decent shooter and the statistics showed that he shot 56.0% on two-point field goals and 38.5% on 3.5 attempts per game from the three-point line.
The 23-year-old also seems to be a decent rim protector after his senior year saw an increase of 0.5 to 1.0 blocks per game over the course of one season.
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The forward struggled on free throws but he only shot 1.7 per game at a 64.8% clip. However, Wheeler also shot 85.0% on 0.6 attempts per game from the free throw in his second season.
Overall, Wheeler is a solid shooting forward who should be able to stretch the floor for the Miami Heat’s summer league team.
Bryson Williams, forward, Texas Tech
Bryson Williams, 24, is a 6-foot-8 forward out of Texas Tech. Williams averaged 14.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.1 assists while shooting 53.5% from the field in his fifth college season.
Williams is a solid shooter who can excel at scoring on off-ball motion plays. The 24-year-old forward is also a solid post scorer which makes up for his reluctance to attempt three-point shots.
The forward is a decent playmaker but he is not an elite ball-handler like other modern forwards. Williams also possesses solid defense and athleticism.
However, Williams is not an elite athlete which can make it difficult for him to guard quicker players which is crucial for the NBA nowadays.
Williams has the experience at 24 years old and there are things to like about the forward. It’ll be interesting to see how Williams translates this summer.
Jamal Cain, forward, Oakland
Jamal Cain, 23, is a 6-foot-7 forward out of Oakland. Cain averaged 19.9 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 0.7 assists while shooting 49.9% from the field in his fifth college season at Oakland.
Cain is an athletic and energetic forward that played at Marquette for four years before moving to Oakland last season. The 23-year-old guard is a decent shooter who can be streaky.
Also, the forward excels at scoring on off-ball motion plays and can post up smaller players. However, Cain struggles to create his new shot and struggles to score in traffic because of it.
Cain is a very good rebounder and has solid defense that can bring steals to the Miami Heat’s summer league team. It’s a good combination even though he’s already 23 years old.
Overall, Cain should play well for the Heat’s summer league team due to his experience and could find a future team if things go well.
Bryce Hamilton, guard, UNLV
Bryce Hamilton, 21. is a 6-foot-4 guard out of UNLV. Hamilton averaged a notable 21.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists during his senior season at UNLV.
Hamilton is a skilled scorer who excels at scoring on off-ball motion plays. The guard is also a decent scorer off the dribble but he needs to work on his overall shooting.
The 21-year-old guard is one of the Miami Heat’s youngest signings and but his four years of experience will help him translate. Hamilton is a solid playmaker and rebounder for his size.
However, Hamilton has some negatives which include wild play on offense and size to play at a wing position. Despite his size, Hamilton is a solid athlete.
Hamilton’s stock has the potential to soar during summer league if he puts on a great offensive show for Miami.