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Miami Heat: 5 reasons to be excited for 2019-20 NBA season

By Sam DiGiovanni

MIAMI, FL - MARCH 13: Justise Winslow #20 and Bam Adebayo #13 of the Miami Heat react during a game against the Detroit Pistons on March 13, 2019 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL - MARCH 13: Justise Winslow #20 and Bam Adebayo #13 of the Miami Heat react during a game against the Detroit Pistons on March 13, 2019 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Jennifer Pottheiser/NBAE via Getty Images)
(Photo by Jennifer Pottheiser/NBAE via Getty Images) /

4. The debuts of Tyler Herro and KZ Okpala

After not having a single draft pick in the 2018 draft, Miami drafted Tyler Herro 13th overall and traded for the draft rights to KZ Okpala. Both rookies have the chance to become franchise cornerstones.

While Tyler Herro wasn’t a popular pick with the fans, his potential as a scorer is real. The 19-year-old Kentucky product drew comparisons to fellow Wildcat Devin Booker as he showed his ability to get buckets. Herro averaged 14.0 points — second on Kentucky — on shooting splits of 46.2 percent from the field, 35.5 percent from 3-point land and 93.5 percent from the free-throw line.

Herro is limited by his lack of athleticism and physical tools, but his handle and jump shot are legit. His basketball skills are what made him worth a lottery pick in the eyes of Miami’s front office. He’s got a scorer’s mentality, and Miami’s primary problem over the last few years was offense. He could develop into a player that helps resolve that problem.

Regardless of how fans feel about Herro as a prospect, they should be excited to see what he’s made of.

Okpala, the lesser heralded rookie, is a 6’9″ 20-year-old that can be a versatile player on both sides of the ball. The former Stanford forward showed that he could get to the rim, shoot mid ranges and hit 3-pointers. He averaged 16.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.0 assists while shooting 46.3 percent from the field and 36.9 percent from distance.

Okpala’s offensive repertoire isn’t out of this world, but he isn’t a one-trick pony either. His passing awareness in college was impressive, which is an important part of Miami’s offense. His ball-handling, while not too crisp, is solid. His jump shot looks solid, and he improved his 3-point percentage by 14.2 percent from his freshman to sophomore seasons. Overall, he has a solid offensive foundation to build upon.

Okpala’s 7’1” wingspan should allow him to guard multiple positions on the perimeter. However, his lack of strength will hinder his ability to guard bigger opponents in the paint. His wingspan will allow him to contest shots decently, but he needs to become stronger to become truly versatile.

His role in the NBA will likely be as a 3-and-D player, but he has the potential to be more if he can sharpen his ball-handling and become smarter on defense.

With Miami looking to win now, Herro and Okpala might not be prioritized right away. Both could find themselves playing limited minutes on a team full of veterans. Still, they could be key pieces of Miami’s future, and no matter how good or bad people think they will be, there is real anticipation for the rookies to take the floor.

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