The Miami Heat had a size problem in the 2024 NBA Draft and addressed it with Kel’el Ware. Ware showed up in his rookie year and gave the Heat a promising big man. Now, the Heat must shift their focus to the point guard position, and three prospects in this year’s NBA Draft can help fill this major need.

The Heat wanted Terry Rozier to be the guy when they acquired him from the Charlotte Hornets at the 2024 NBA Trade Deadline. When this deal proved to be a bust, the Heat went out and got Davion Mitchell at this year’s deadline from the Toronto Raptors. Mitchell fits the culture really well, but enters this offseason as a restricted free agent. Outside of these two, the Heat have played Tyler Herro out of his regular two-guard position as the primary ballhandler.

While Herro had his first year as an All-Star, he is most effective at the 2, and a true point guard would help Herro make even greater strides as he becomes the guy in the 305.

With the Heat playing themselves out of the 11th-best odds in the NBA Draft Lottery (odds that went to the Dallas Mavericks who obtained the #1 pick and inevitably Cooper Flagg), Miami holds just the 20th pick in this year’s draft and should focus on upgrading the point guard position.

There are three players whom the Heat could likely grab with this spot.

1 — Nolan Traore, from France

We’ve begun to see an influx of international talent transitioning to the NBA and excelling. Traore could be one of those guys. The French guard turned 19 last month and averaged 12.2 PPG, 4.7 APG, and had 41% shooting efficiency. He’s highly regarded as the best passer in this class, although he’s finding himself around the 20s in many mock drafts. It’s mainly due to his frame (6’3”, 175 pounds). For a reference point, Chris Paul, Mike Conley, and Bones Hyland all measure at 175 pounds. Trae Young is 164 pounds and is considered a liability on defense.

Despite his size, Traore is considered a sure-fire point guard prospect in this year’s class. He still lacks shooting ability, but he has great instincts to move the ball and when you have a walking bucket like Tyler Herro, you don’t need to be Steph Curry.

2 — Ben Saraf, from Israel

If the frame of Traore concerns you but you still want to take a chance on an international ballhandler, Saraf is your guy. Saraf is a month older than Traore and averaged 12.3 PPG, 4.3 APG, and made 45.3% of his shots. At 6’5” and 200 pounds, Saraf has a more dependable build than Traore and shoots the ball slightly better.

Saraf genuinely reminds me of another international guard in Goran Dragic. That might be because Saraf is a lefty, but he’s so crafty with his body control. Saraf isn’t the strongest shooter, especially from 3-point range, but he can dominate the pick-and-roll with some creative passing techniques. If any Heat fan remembers a veteran Dragic, they would take their chances if a rookie Saraf can develop into this generation’s Dragon.

3 — Walter Clayton Jr., from the University of Florida

If the Miami Heat want to stay countryside for their pick, or in the Sunshine State, the Heat can take Walter Clayton Jr. from the National Champion Florida Gators. This could easily be the Jalen Brunson effect. Brunson helped his stock rise with Villanova’s March Madness success, so this could be a similar story for Clayton, where he averaged 18.3 PPG and 4.2 APG in his final year as a Gator on 45% shooting. What separates Clayton from Traore and Saraf is his range. Clayton has a better 3-point percentage (38.6%) than Traore (31.4%) and Saraf (29.2%).

Not only is this the Jalen Brunson effect, but I think Tyrese Haliburton’s success propelling the Indiana Pacers could impact Clayton Jr. and his draft stock. Haliburton has made clutch shots to elevate his team in those big moments. Clayton Jr. proved that this season as Florida, taking tough shots and draining them. Stepping up in those big moments will elevate any prospect above his talent level.

We could get to the NBA Draft next week, and neither of these players is wearing a Heat uniform in 2025. That’s the reality of being the 20th overall pick. But if either of these players does get to join the Heat Culture, they could make a significant contribution and help the Heat solve their point guard problem.