Apr 11, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Miami Heat Projected To Add 'Off-Screen Scorer' In Latest NBA Mock Draft

Originally posted on Miami Heat on SI | By Sean Jordan | Last updated May 7, 2025 9:20 AM ET

The Miami Heat have plenty of young forwards in their rotation.

Players like Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Nikola Jovic have shown they are productive pieces. However, their inconsistent play could force Miami to draft another forward in the NBA draft.

Bleacher Report released its latest mock draft ahead of next week's draft lottery. The Heat are projected to select Connecticut Huskies forward Liam McNeeley at No. 20. His pro comparison is Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray.

"Regardless of Liam McNeeley's NCAA tournament performance, NBA teams have a clear picture of what he offers and what he doesn't," the article wrote. "His spot-up shooting, off-screen scoring and transition finishing should translate first and get the most use. He should eventually provide some ball-screen handling with the ability to attack downhill and make passing reads. The athletic and defensive limitations just make it difficult to envision star-caliber upside, and he'll need to grow his pull-up game to pose more of a threat offensively. A 43.9 two-point percentage is relatively concerning if we're talking about a lottery pick."

McNeeley entered the draft after one season at UConn, where he averaged 14.5 points, six rebounds and 2.3 assists. He was rated as a five-star recruit along with being named in the top 10 of the ESPN top 100 recruits for the 2024 cycle.

McNeeley's shooting would need to improve at the NBA level. At his young age, he is the type of player who could thrive in the G-League with the Sioux Falls Skyforce to improve as a shooter before making the transition to the Miami rotation.