Heat PreDraft Prospect: Gabe Pruit

USC's Gabe Pruitt could be the #20 pick in this year's NBA draft and thusly, he could move from the left coast to the East coast.

Andy Katz of ESPN has reported that the Miami Heat have promised Pruitt would not fall below the 20th pick. This has been corroborated by other teams, according to Katz (and props to JNeezy for bringing it to our attention).

What this means is that the Heat could have their man already pegged, unless someone they have ranked higher on the draft board falls to them - in which case Pfund would be earning that paycheck a heck of a lot easier.

Most of you may not know who Gabe Pruitt is, after all he plays for Tim Floyd's USC Trojans and we here on the East coast typically ignore the West coast games due to their late start times. And who really thinks the Pac 10 has the depth of the ACC or SEC for that matter.

Gabe Pruitt might be exactly what the Heat need. He's an athletic scorer that can finish at the rim and is not afraid to drive to the hoop. He has that ferocious attack you want, and he can hit his shots from outside with very good consistency. Yes, he has NBA three point range. He raised his FG% to .486 (up from .405) and improved his three point shot dramatically (.450 from .380).

He's got size for a PG at 6'4" and 170lbs - he could stand to bulk up some, but that will come as he is only 21 years old. Defensively he has good hands and great anticipation getting 1.9 steals per game this season (2.2 last season).

Really the only downside is whether or not he is a true point guard. He is a bit of a sleeper as a result as most do not know what he could do as a point guard in the NBA, but that is not something that should concern the Heat. With Wade running the show, and the offense running through him, the Heat don't have as great a need for a true PG as they may seem. Wade is going to handle the ball during clutch situations, as Riley trusts his abilities when it matters - and frankly, Wade is the best player the Heat have ever had so why wouldn't he trust him? Pruitt has the ability to switch between PG and SG roles as he can hit his outside shot while also taking his man off the dribble.

Keep an eye on Pruitt come draft night - he should be available at the 20 spot and if Riley isn't trying to pull off some draft trickery, it looks like the Heat have found their man.