The Miami Heat are heading into their first season of the Giannis Antetokounmpo experience with one issue sitting front and center: depth, especially in the backcourt. That’s the conversation around the team right now, and it makes sense.
But Ryan Conwell might be the kind of rookie who changes that discussion sooner than expected.
Louisville head coach Pat Kelsey, who coached Conwell before he reached the NBA, laid out the appeal pretty clearly in his scouting report:
“He’s a terrific scorer, terrific shooter, high-IQ player.... The thing to me that really separates Ryan are the things you can’t measure with statistics.
It’s the intangibles, it’s the work ethic and the character. He’s an elite shooter.
There is no question about that.”
That’s the sort of praise you’d expect from a former coach, sure. Still, it lines up with why Miami moved up a few spots to grab Conwell early in the second round. The Heat clearly wanted him, and they wanted to make sure somebody else didn’t beat them to him.
No one is projecting Conwell to walk in and take a major role right away. He’s not being treated like a finished product. There’s development ahead, and plenty of it.
Even so, Miami has reasons to believe he can become more than just a long-term project. If Conwell really is a reliable 3-point shooter and a bench scorer who can provide a little punch, he fits neatly into what the Heat need. The backcourt behind Davion Mitchell is already a concern, and a rookie who can shoot, score, and bring effort would have a real path to earning minutes.
The intangibles matter here too. Work ethic and energy go a long way with this team, and those are exactly the traits Kelsey pointed to.
There’s also already a little evidence that Conwell can make an impression. He stood out in summer league enough that the Heat shut him down early to reduce the risk of injury.
So while the expectations remain measured, the early signs are encouraging. Miami appears to believe it may have found another hidden gem, and Kelsey’s comments only add to the optimism around Conwell’s rookie year.
In Other News...
Heat May Have A Late Point Guard Opportunity Worth Watching
Ryan Nembhards name has surfaced at an interesting time for Miami, with the guard now expected to be waived after being part of a three-player deal involving Atlanta and Charlotte. For the Heat, it creates a possible late backcourt opening to monitor as they continue weighing ways to add depth before camp, whether that means bringing in another body on a training camp look or moving straight toward a standard deal.
Nembhards appeal is easy to understand for a team that values organization and decision-making in the backcourt. He spent four seasons in college and then got his first NBA taste with Dallas, where he earned a standard contract and flashed some playmaking ability. If he does hit the open market, Miami will have to decide whether his upside is enough to make him part of the mix, and whether the fit is right before other teams get involved. [Read more 🡒]
Andrew Wiggins Could Be Exactly What The Heat Need Again
Andrew Wiggins is stepping into Miami with a familiar kind of pressure, the sort that comes with being asked to fit cleanly beside established stars and still make a real mark on both ends. In this case, the Heat are counting on him to slide into a significant third-option role next to Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo, a setup that could give Miami another long, versatile wing presence if everything clicks the way it did at times in Golden State.
Wiggins has already shown he can matter on a contender, especially during the Warriors 2022 championship run, when his two-way value helped shape a title teams identity. The question for Miami is whether that version of him shows up often enough to matter over the course of the season, because the Heat do not need a flash of impact so much as dependable scoring, steady defense, and the kind of efficiency that makes the rest of the roster easier to organize. [Read more 🡒]
Heat May Have Given Up More In The Giannis Deal Than Expected
The Giannis Antetokounmpo trade gave Miami the immediate jolt it was looking for, but the move also sent Kasparas Jakucionis to Milwaukee, and that part of the deal is already drawing attention. The 20-year-old guard spent his rookie season in Miami showing a blend of efficient shot-making and defensive activity that made him look like more than a throw-in, even if his role was still limited.
Now in Milwaukee, Jakucionis appears headed for a bigger opportunity, which is exactly what can make the long view of a blockbuster trade tricky. His college and NBA tape point to a guard who can handle the ball, make plays for others and stay engaged defensively, so the Heat may eventually be judged not just on landing Giannis, but on how much young upside they were willing to include to get him. [Read more 🡒]