View Caption Hide Caption Devin Booker emerges as Heat's most likely pick in upcoming NBA Draft. (Getty Images)

Miami’s most obvious need in next week’s NBA Draft is to pick up a small forward, but management might face a tough choice given that the best ones could be gone early.



With Charlotte trading Lance Stephenson to the Clippers this week, the Hornets are now one more team choosing ahead of the Heat that will probably take a small forward. That likely means the upper tier of that position — Justise Winslow, Mario Hezonja and Stanley Johnson — will be snatched up before Miami picks at No. 10.

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If the Heat still want a small forward, they could take Kansas’ Kelly Oubre, who seems like a nice fit, but would be a little bit of a reach at 10th overall. Based on The Palm Beach Post’s latest mock draft, they would be bypassing a more talented prospect in Devin Booker to do so.

While Booker, a shooting guard from Kentucky, does not address Miami’s greatest need, he does fill a hole. Assuming the Heat are able to work things out with Dwyane Wade, they still need a competent back-up for him and have to be looking ahead at how to replace him when he retires.

Here is the latest Post top-10 mock draft:

1. Minnesota: Karl-Anthony Towns, Kentucky, PF/C

2. L.A. Lakers: Jahlil Okafor, Duke, C

3. Philadelphia: D’Angelo Russell, Ohio State, PG

4. New York: Emmanuel Mudiay, China, PG

5. Orlando: Kristaps Porzingis, Latvia, PG

6. Sacramento: Justise Winslow, Duke, SF

7. Denver: Willie Cauley-Stein, Kentucky, C

8. Detroit: Mario Hezonja, Croatia, SG/SF

9. Charlotte: Stanley Johnson, Arizona, SF

10. Miami: Devin Booker, Kentucky, SG