NBA: Power ranking the 17 most dynamic young cores with the highest upside

Who are the best young cores in the NBA heading into the 2024-25 season?
San Antonio Spurs v Dallas Mavericks
San Antonio Spurs v Dallas Mavericks / Ron Jenkins/GettyImages
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12. Miami Heat

Young core: Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Nikola Jovic, Kel'el Ware

Even though there's a ton I've disagreed with in how the Miami Heat have operated over the last couple of seasons, you can't deny that they continue to stack young talent. Even without premier draft picks, the Heat manage to find hidden gem after hidden gem. For the Heat, there are four players who "qualified" for their young core. While there may not be one of them that has superstar talent, all four have the potential to be really good players if they continue down their developmental path.

While Tyler Herro has become one of the most polarizing players in the NBA, you can't deny his talent. Even though he continues to play out of role with the Heat, he's one of the better all-around young offensive players in the league today. Jaime Jaquez Jr. is another one of these hidden gems that Miami found in the 2023 NBA Draft. Even though he faded down the stretch this past season, he's certainly a name to watch this year.

Nikola Jovic also flashed signs of promise this past season and as a versatile power forward, it'll be interesting to see what the next step in his development looks like. Kel'el Ware, based on his summer league performance, looks like another hidden gem for the Heat.