MIAMI _ As the NBA moves closer to its playoff final four, draft season is beginning to get real for the entire league, with the countdown to the June 20 selections officially a ticking clock.
While the Miami Heat have held off on their pre-draft workouts until their selection spot is formalized at Tuesday's lottery, the league's scouts have already spoken when it comes to the top tier of the draft pool, with Wednesday's release of the 66 players invited to next week's Chicago pre-draft combine.
Included on that list are several possible selections for the Heat if they hold their No. 13 seed in the lottery, as well as the elite prospects who would become options should the Heat move into one of the randomly selected top-four picks in the weighted process, such as Zion Williamson, Ja Morant and RJ Barrett.
Those players likely will only attend the combine for interviews and measurements, with Gonzaga lottery prospect Rui Hachimura, a player linked to the Heat, bypassing even those parts of the process.
With the Heat preparing for a week in Chicago, three events in coming days will help shape not only their draft but potentially the franchise's future.
.png?w=600)
