Heat Would Be Wise to Snag This Shot-Creator in NBA Draft

The 2026 NBA draft is taking center stage, especially as the NBA playoffs start to wrap up. The draft is always an exciting time to see where our favorite college stars land, and this year is shaping up to be no exception.

For the Miami Heat, the draft will be an important to time find new talent and take this team to the next level. In a mock out on Saturday, May 23, Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report names his projections for the upcoming draft. He has the Heat going with Labaron Philon Jr. out of Alabama.

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“Miami might prefer to use this pick as part of a blockbuster trade, but if that isn’t happening, the Heat should follow the best player available path,” he notes. “Especially if that player comes with as much perimeter promise as Philon, who just averaged 22 points and 5 assists while posting a pristine 50.1/39.9/79.8 shooting slash.”

He adds: “They can get pretty bogged-down in the half court, but a slick creator like Philon could help get things unclogged.”

My Analysis: What Labaron Philon Jr. Brings to the Heat

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Philon might not be a strong lead guard out of the gate, but that may not even be a bad thing for this team. His real strength is creating shots and knocking them down, and that fits nicely with a roster that already has Bam Adebayo and Jaime Jaquez Jr. on offense.

Instead of forcing him into a role that doesn’t totally fit, they could just let him do what he does best: score and make life easier for the players around him. He’s a win-win pick for the Heat.

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This story was originally published May 26, 2026 at 9:40 AM.