Heat Nation can finally breathe a huge sigh of relief, as the Miami Heat have landed the no. 10 pick in this year’s NBA Draft. Having had an 87 percent chance of coming in tenth, the Heat did exactly that during Tuesday night’s lottery; Miami would have lost their pick had they fallen below the ten spot.
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While some people were hoping to land a top three spot, most are pleased with the outcome, knowing that the Heat could have been left with nothing. This would have been the cherry on top of a mostly disappointing season. And unfortunately, not the first time Miami would have experienced draft lottery misfortune.
Coming in at no. 10 may not sound all that glamorous, but taking a look back at former tenth picks certainly puts things in perspective.
Take for instance, Kurt Thomas and Caron Butler. Both were chosen tenth by the Heat (in 1995 and 2002, respectively) and have gone on to have lucrative NBA careers. Thomas, though retired now, was in the league for 18 years. He played for eight different teams, including Miami, but spent the majority of his time as a New York Knick. Playing seven consecutive years there starting in 1998, he was brought back in 2012 to finish off his career. Butler, who is currently with the Detroit Pistons, is a 12 year NBA veteran. He won a championship with the Dallas Mavericks in 2011 and is a two-time NBA All Star.
Horace Grant, Eddie Jones, Jason Terry, Paul Pierce, Joe Johnson, Brook Lopez, Andrew Bynum, Paul George and Brandon Jennings were also all tenth picks.
Whether or not there are any Paul Pierces in this draft class, and/or if they will still be left by the time the Heat are on the clock, is still up for debate. However, it is good to keep in mind that Miami could still potentially walk away with one heck of a player.
As of now, it seems as though the organization have their eyes on a few international prospects, Kelly Oubre and Devin Brooker. Myles Turner and Frank Kaminsky have also come up in discussion.
The 2015 NBA Draft will be held in the Barclays Center on June 25.
Next: NBA Draft: Miami Heat Keep No. 10 Pick, So What's Next?