NBA Draft: Grades for all 15 teams in the Eastern Conference

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JUNE 23: Nikola Jovic poses for photos on the red carpet during the 2022 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 23, 2022 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images) /

Eastern Conference NBA Draft Grades: Miami Heat

Picks: Nikola Jovic, Forward, Mega Basket (27);

The Miami Heat have a lot of confidence in their ability to develop talent and instill culture, which makes them bold in adding players with glaring weaknesses as long as they also have triumphant strengths. Their first-round pick, Nikola Jovic, is 6’11” and has the skillset of a guard. He also is a defensive disaster, which hurts even more for a big than it does for a guard. He’s a long-term project, but there is significant upside for a truly special player.

That ended up being it for the Heat, who lost their second-round pick due to tampering charges levied by the NBA for negotiating too early with Kyle Lowry last summer. It clearly falls into the “everyone is doing it” bucket, but also, the Heat are the ones who got caught. The Heat have such a pipeline and are attractive to undrafted free agents that it really did not hurt them much.

Grade: C+