The Miami Heat could end up targeting Kansas freshman Kelly Oubre Jr. in the 2015 NBA draft if Arizona forward Stanley Johnson is no longer available. Miami goes with Oubre with its No. 10 pick in the latest mock draft from Chris Johnson and Jeremy Woo of Sports Illustrated.
Miami hung onto its 2015 first-rounder by landing the 10th overall pick. Since then, the Heat have been linked to a number of prospects, including Johnson and Wisconsin bigs Sam Dekker and Frank Kaminsky. Now you can add Oubre to that list.
"Oubre's scoring and potential two-way ability are too enticing to pass up here, despite the Heat's need for immediate production," Johnson and Woo wrote Monday. "Miami's bit of post depth justifies passing on a big here, and it won't hurt Oubre's development to have Dwyane Wade as a mentor."
Miami going with Oubre - Johnson and Woo projected Johnson to go one pick ahead at No. 9 to the Charlotte Hornets - makes sense. The Heat need a wing player that can stretch defenses, and the 6-foot-7 Oubre has the potential to be just that. He averaged 9.3 points - 44.4 percent from the field and 35.8 percent from 3-point range - and 5.0 rebounds in 21 minutes per game with Kansas. The biggest question is whether his numbers from beyond the arc, which aren't staggering, can translate into the NBA.
Oubre will need time to develop as a pro, but a bonus for Miami is his defense does give him the potential to become a legitimate two-way player in the league.
It's not a guarantee Oubre will fall past the Detroit Pistons at No. 8. Earlier in May, ESPN's Chad Ford linked Miami to a handful of players, including Johnson.
"Johnson makes a lot of sense here for the Heat; he's one of the most NBA-ready prospects in the draft, with the size and strength to play right away. And, given how young he is, there's still a lot of upside there," Ford wrote on May 20. "Wisconsin's Sam Dekker and Frank Kaminsky along with Texas' Myles Turner are other players in the mix for Miami."
The NBA draft is on June 25.
