Miami Heat work out 4 more big men ahead of 2017 NBA Draft

3. Jarrett Allen, C, Texas

Prospect breakdown:

• Age: 19
• Height/Wingpsan/Weight: 6’11″, 7’5.25″, 224 pounds
• Freshman year averages:
  • 13.4 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 0.8 ASP, 0.6 SPG, 1.5 BPG, 2.5 TOV, 56.6 FG%, 0/7 3P, 56.4 FT%, 32.2 MPG
• Draft Express Mock Position: 1st round, 18th overall pick

Strengths:

• Absurdly long athlete with explosive bounce. For proof of said bounce, just click here. Solid hands, really good as the “roll man” in pick-and-roll sets. Excellent finisher around the rim; completed 71.1 percent of his looks in the paint, per Hoop Math. Just turned 19, not done developing yet.

Weaknesses: 

• Skill is severely lacking. No semblance of a jumper (0-of-7 from three, 56.4 percent from the foul line as a freshman), and a porous distributor (finished the season with 26 assists in 33 games, compared to 84 turnovers). Effort level comes and goes. Averaged just 10.5 rebounds per 40 minutes.

Final verdict:

• Allen has a ton of potential. He should be able to improve his slow, awkward jumper with proper coaching, and he’s too long and athletic to not become a plus-rebounder eventually. Still, a lot of his weaknesses sound exactly like Hassan Whiteside‘s. If Miami weren’t in love with Whiteside, I suppose they could draft Allen to back him up with the hopes the former Longhorn could take his job by the time his max contract runs out. I just don’t see it, though.Perhaps if he were a bit more skilled, he’d make some sense, but taking a skinnier, less talented version of their current starting center simply doesn’t seem worth it. Miami can find a cheap backup 5 if Willie Reed leaves without having to waste their No. 14 pick on one.