A free slide in the NBA draft might force the Heat to make a decision like to that of Caron Butler and Justise Winslow.

MIAMI – Being ready for the unexpected is a part of preparing for the NBA draft, something the Miami Heat have a lot of experience with. They’re ready this time around.

The Heat have worked out a guy who was formerly thought to be the probable No. 1 choice, even though they have the No. 15 pick in the first round on June 26. Ron Holland, a 6-foot-6 athlete who is already thought to possess the defensive skills to make an instant impact for Erik Spoelstra’s club after honing his game against professionals with the NBA G League’s Ignite this past season, has experienced that kind of whirlwind.

Teams who select at No. 15 generally do not get the chance to examine a player in-person who is predicted to go far higher in the draft. However, the draft this year is so well-balanced that a team’s fifth pick might very easily end up at No. 15 or even higher.

under the past, the Heat under these circumstances merely permitted the draft currents to provide a potential with minimal pre-draft examination. This was the case in 2002 when they defeated UConn’s Caron Butler at No. 10 and in 2015 when they defeated Duke’s Justise Winslow at No. 10. Holland was the top choice according to former NBA executive John Hollinger’s projections as recently as last month, according to an article for The Athletic.

Rather, Holland has also been visiting clubs that are lower on the draft list. Holland remarked, “It’s a roller coaster of emotions,” during the NBA selection combine in Chicago last month. Holland, who is 18 years old, is a special case study because he is the draft’s youngest leading prospect and has prior professional experience.