Draft Analysis: Miami Heat
The 2007 NBA Draft was headlined by a buzz of trade rumors, and on Draft Night the Miami Heat jumped on the bandwagon.
Draft Night Moves
The Heat entered the draft with the 20th and 39th picks. In the first round, they selected 7' Jason Smith, a big man from Colorado State who could help Shaquille O'Neal and Alonzo Mourning in the middle. Minutes later, Miami traded Smith to Philadelphia for Daequan Cook, who was the 21st pick, a 2009 second round pick, and cash considerations. In the second round, the Heat pulled the trade trigger again when they dealt 39th pick, Croatian center Stanko Barac, to the Indiana Pacers for another 2009 second round draft choice.
Welcome to the Miami Heat
Daequan Cook knows how to win. Even though the 20-year-old spent only one year at Ohio State, his contributions off the bench helped the Buckeyes reach the NCAA Championship game and earned him Big Ten's Sixth Man of the Year honors. After playing with collegiate stars Greg Oden and Mike Conley, Jr., Daequan Cook will feel right at home with Shaq and Dwyane Wade.
Miami, the third-lowest scoring team in the NBA last season, struggled offensively when they lost Wade to a shoulder injury. Daequan Cook gives the Heat another offensive option off the bench. He can consistently knock down his mid-range jumper (44.5% FG) and shot 41.5% from three point range, averaging 9.8 points last season. The Heat were the fourth-worst three-point shooting team in the league last season and the sharp shooting Daequan Cook gives their backcourt a boost.
Although Daequan Cook played at a very high level last season, don't expect him to make an immediate impact on the Heat. In the NCAA Tournament, he averaged less than five points and shot just 4-for-15 from three point range. Daequan Cook has the tools to become a prolific scorer, he simply needs more time to learn how to play under pressure. Lucky for Daequan Cook, he can learn from Wade, who has bolstered his scoring from 16 points per game to more than 27 over his four year career. Daequan Cook won't send the Heat into the NBA Finals next season, but he is a work in progress who excellent skills and one of the best mentors in the NBA.
Out With the Old, In With the New
By drafting a shooting guard, the Heat have yet to address a giant question mark at small forward, with James Posey and Jason Kapono on the market this summer. The trade for Daequan Cook marked the end of the road for Kapono, the team's best three point shooter. Daequan Cook can fill that role, enabling the team to pursue a small forward whose game is multi-dimensional. Rashard Lewis is the top free agent at the position.
By trading away Smith and Barac, the Heat are still left with the need for a backup center. O'Neal, 35, has been injury-prone the past few seasons, while Mourning, 39, may not return for another season. A handful of undrafted prospects are still up for grabs, including Wake Forest's Kyle Visser and Ali Traore of France. The Heat could also test the free agent waters for a new big man -- 6'10" Chris Webber and 6'11" Jamaal Magliore are both available.
The Heat also need depth at the point guard position. Free agent Gary Payton, 38, may retire and Chris Quinn is the only other option behind Jason Williams. Mo Williams and Brevin Knight are on the market, and Virginia Tech's Zabian Dowdell and Wright State's DaShaun Wood are still available after the draft.
The Bottom Line
Daequan Cook may be a contributor down the road, but the Heat didn't pick up an immediate impact player on Draft Night. The team who fell from grace last season will have to make major moves in the free agent market in order to get themselves back to the NBA Finals. With a few proven veterans, the Heat could be back in the title hunt.
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