2012 NBA Draft: Why Fab Melo Is the Perfect Player for Miami Heat

The NBA draft is right around the corner. All teams, even the two that are still alive, have been tirelessly preparing themselves for this major event that is now under three weeks away. 

The draft is obviously not the primary concern of the Miami Heat at this time. Still, the team most certainly has scouts and other personnel working to figure out what prospects would be the best fit at their position in the draft.

Considering what type of player the Heat’s roster is currently lacking, Fab Melo would be a perfect fit.

The big problem with the Heat right now is their lack of size. Their best big man is Chris Bosh who, while very skilled, is not an imposing physical presence.

The Heat lack a player who can bang bodies down low and protect the rim. The team doesn’t necessarily need a big man who is highly skilled offensively, just one who provides intimidation and stability on the defensive end.

That is exactly what Fab Melo would bring to the Heat.

Melo is a seven-footer who is listed at 255 pounds. His size alone is an asset to any team.

The Heat have just one seven-footer currently on their roster, Eddy Curry, and he played in only 14 games for the team this season and a grand total of 84 minutes.

The team has had trouble finding a reliable center all season. In the playoffs, they have started Joel Anthony, Ronny Turiaf and Udonis Haslem at the position. Each of the three have had major problems defending opposing centers in the playoffs, especially in the past two rounds, as they were run over by both Roy Hibbert and Kevin Garnett.

The Heat’s deficiency at center has forced the team to occasionally move Chris Bosh to the position. Bosh’s true position is power forward and forcing him to take the beating of battling down low with bigger and stronger players hurts his overall performance.

Melo is a player who can take the day in and day out beating that a center needs to withstand. He will allow Bosh to stay at his natural position and prevent the team from having to play subpar players such as Joel Anthony and Ronny Turiaf on a consistent basis.

The Heat have been a below average rebounding team all season long. The team’s leading rebounder during the regular season was their small forward LeBron James, and as a team they ranked 21^st out of 30 teams in the statistic.

Melo gives the Heat another rebounding option down low. He only averaged about six rebounds a game this past season for the Orange, which is a pretty low number for a player of his size. However, he was still the team’s leading rebounder, and Syracuse’s zone defense should take some responsibility for his low numbers.

Once Melo gets into the NBA and is taught proper rebounding footwork and techniques, he will develop into a very good rebounder because of the tools he already possesses.

The Heat’s defense is very good, but there are still areas where they need improvement.

They don’t have a true rim protector whose mere presence prevents opposing players from attacking the basket. The Heat need someone who can defend elite post players and halt penetration.  

Melo’s defense is his best attribute. He was named the Big East defensive player of the year this past season, which is no small feat considering the level of competition he faced on a nightly basis.

His 7’3'' wingspan allows him to play even bigger than he already is. Last season he averaged 2.9 blocks per game and was the defensive anchor for one of the best teams in the country.

The Heat don’t need another supremely talented offensively player. They already have James, Wade and Bosh who take up a huge portion of the team’s offensive load.

This is why Melo is such a perfect fit. He is not a great offensive player and will not force up errant shots or constantly call for the ball.

One would not describe Melo as polished on the offensive end, but that’s not why the Heat would want to draft him.

Right now Melo is projected to be a late first-round draft pick. That’s right where the Heat will be picking, and there is a decent chance that he could fall into their lap.

The things he does well are exactly what the Heat are looking for. He will provide size, rebounding and defense for the team, and his presence will improve the Heat’s center position a great deal.