Quincy Miller, No. 27 (Mock)

This versatile forward will energize the Heat’s frontcourt.

by Justin Tinsley / @JustinTinsley

What a difference a year makes if you’re a fan of the Miami Heat. Approximately 365 days ago, the team punctuated its infamous ‘10-11 season with a Playoff run that seemed as destined for greatness as it did tragedy. Following a 4-2 NBA Finals loss to the Dallas Mavericks, fans ridiculed the blueprint. LeBron James had officially morphed into the real life Charlie Brown. And to top it off, the NBA lockout had no end in sight.

Now in 2012, the Heat are the World Champions. Their strengths were exposed enough to make everyone say, “Yeah, when they feel like it, Miami’s a pretty damn good team.”

But Pat Riley’s bunch is still an incomplete squad to an extent. Off-season flirting with everyone from Steve Nash to Ray Allen to Jason Terry is great for barbershop discussions, but Erik Spoelstra and the gang have to get right back to work.

And it begins with the Heat’s draft pick on Thursday.

With the 27th pick in the 2012 SLAMonline Mock Draft, the Miami Heat select…

Quincy Miller from Baylor.

Here’s the harsh reality for Miami. They will never have a dominant center mainly due to how the game is played nowadays. Then again, they’ve showed they’re more than effective without one. Running Chris Bosh at the 5 and LeBron at the 4 worked wonders in the postseason, but for an 82-game schedule, they will need ample height coming off the bench to alleviate pressure on an already taxed All-Star trio.

The Eddy Curry era probably won’t be renewed.

Everyone in America knew Juwan Howard stayed around to get a ring.

Dexter Pittman is a stud—if you’re sending him to take out opposing players who make choking gestures at LeBron.

Miami’s only left with Udonis Haslem and Joel Anthony to make an impact height-wise. And they’re short by NBA standards.

Miller is a solid selection at the 27th pick. He’s arguably the most attractive available player skill set-wise, and he has some serious upside. The 6-10 “small forward” (who will play power forward at times in the NBA with a 7-3 wingspan) is known for his mid-range game. Despite not being the world’s strongest player, he has shown scoring prowess around the rim. While Miller has the tendency to lean on his jumper too much, his rebounding and ability to disrupt shots often lead to fast breaks—something the Heat run better than any team in basketball.

His ability to create a shot and move without the ball are also pluses. But the kid who averaged 11 points and 5 rebounds during his one season at Baylor doesn’t come without red flags, either. He still working on regaining some quickness and explosiveness after an ACL tear during his senior year of high school. He also struggled in the NCAA Tournament, where he failed to average even 7 points a game.

He’ll also need to improve his frequency at the free-throw line (only 3 attempts a game) as he converts 81 percent of the time from the charity stripe. For a team that prides itself on quick perimeter closeouts and attacking the basket for rebounds, Miller will have to adapt to their aggressive brand of basketball.

No one expects Quincy Miller to come out the gate swinging. He doesn’t even need to be a star.

The Heat just need Quincy to continue to blossom into the player who once had scouts salivating over him just two years ago. Without becoming Captain Obvious, it’s pretty safe to say he’s got a reliable safety net of talent to lean on.