Labaron Philon, Miami Heat

The Miami Heat will head into the NBA Draft armed with the 13th pick. Erik Spoelstra’s team is in desperate need of some extra help at the guard position. It’s an area where the team has struggled for multiple years.

According to the latest mock draft from Adam Finkelstein of CBS Sports, Pat Riley could look to solve some of the issues at the guard spot by drafting Labaron Philon.

“Philon is one of the more gifted shot creators in this draft class,” Finklestein wrote. “He not only stuffed the stat sheet as the focal point of one of college basketball’s fastest offenses, but did it with 50/40/80 shooting splits.”

Finelstein continued.

“He might not have had as much gas in the tank defensively. But there’s tape from his freshman year to remind us that he’s plenty capable on that end, too. On a Miami team that has decisions to make in the backcourt and would demand his best on both ends, this would be a good fit.”

Philon has spent two years in the collegiate ranks playing for the Alabama Crimson Tide. This season, he suited up for 33 games (32 as a starter), averaging 22 points, 5 assists and 3.5 rebounds. Philon shot the rock at a 57.4% clip from two-point range and 39.9% from deep.

Miami Heat Likely To Chase Giannis Antetokounmpo

Another reason why drafting a point guard could be good business for the Heat is that they will likely spend the summer chasing a trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo. In some ways, their offseason could mirror last year’s. Pat Riley spent most of the summer chasing after Kevin Durant, only to strike out.

However, Zach Lowe recently noted that Miami is potentially the favorite to secure a move for Giannis this summer.

“If you made me pick a team, if I just had to guess, if he’s traded, where he’s traded, I would put Miami as my number one guess team because they fit the ‘Hail Mary’ thing you just said,” Lowe said on the ‘Bill Simmons Podcast.’ “Because they have just enough stuff they could throw together that the Bucks could sell it as, ‘Hey, we got a lot! Maybe we can flip this one guy we got and get another thing.’ But I don’t feel great about that package, whatever it is, if I’m Milwaukee.”

Ensuring Spoelstra has another guard on the roster, regardless of what happens with Miami’s pursuit of Giannis, would be good business.

Heat Could Be Busy This Summer

Outside of potentially targeting a guard and likely being involved in the sweepstakes for Giannis, Miami also needs to try to retain Norman Powell. The veteran scorer had an All-Star season under Spoelstra. It would be wise to keep him around in the long term.

As such, it’s clear Pat Riley is going to have his hands full. However, if the Heat want to re-emerge as a contending-level roster, these are all moves that must be pursued. The Heat need a big summer, otherwise, another season of struggles will be on the cards.