The Miami Heat are slated to select with the 20th pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, but what can they expect from a player drafted in that range?
There wasn’t much (if anything) at stake for the Miami Heat in the NBA’s Draft Lottery on Thursday evening. They’ve known since the conclusion of the regular season last week that they’d be moving forward with the 20th overall pick in the first round.
While fans typically get excited about higher draft selections as opposed to the lower end of the first round, Pat Riley and the Miami front office are proven targeters and developers of talent, no matter its origin. Heat fandom as a whole isn’t sweating the upcoming draft.
But what can the team expect from a guy selected in the back end of the first round? A look to previous drafts is typically the best way to measure what kind of talent will be available.
For example, in last year’s draft, it was stud defender Matisse Thybulle who was selected 20th overall, now a key contributor for the Philadelphia 76ers. The year before that it was another defense-first talent, Josh Okogie, who was drafted at 20th to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
This tells us that it’s most likely a “best available” mindset as opposed to positional targeting when you get to this side of the first-round. Other notable guys who’ve gone 20th overall in recent years are Caris LeVert, Evan Fournier, and Jameer Nelson back in 2004.
Barring any trades on, or before draft night, this will make for the third time this Miami Heat franchise has drafted with the 20th overall pick. They selected Kevin Edwards in the 1988 NBA Draft and drafted Jason Smith in the 2007 NBA Draft.
Which players are being projected to be available for Miami at 20th overall?
The 20th overall pick has yielded zero All-Stars since 2010, but the Miami Heat will be hoping to change that. So, who’s expected to be available when they’re placed on the clock?
A number of mock drafts went up Thursday night after the lottery results were announced. The names you’ll see the most associated with Miami are mostly guards: Tyrell Terry of Stanford, Kira Lewis Jr of Alabama, and Cole Anthony of North Carolina are the most common.
It’s unsurprising to see point guards as the center of Heat draft talk, given the uncertainty of Kendrick Nunn’s future in South Beach, and Goran Dragic headed for free agency.
Duke University’s Tre Jones was once thought of as the most likely selection, but his stock has slipped in recent weeks, and likely will continue to do so between now and the draft.
Or could the Miami Heat just trade the pick for immediate help?
Another option, that’s honestly pretty likely, is that Riley and the front office scrap scouting in an already considered weak draft class, and use the pick in a blockbuster deal.
Everyone and their grandmother knows this Miami Heat team is out to win a championship in the coming years, and are actively pursuing a third All-Star to pair with Butler and Adebayo.
They’ve been tied to a number of guys like Chris Paul, Victor Oladipo, and Bradley Beal. As well as the 2018-2019 MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, for whom a trade would almost be required.
In the same way, Chris Paul, and more recently Kevin Durant, arranged for sign-and-trade deals to coincide with their own departures, it’s possible the Greek Freak would do the same.
If he’s thinking of leaving in free agency in 2021, it’ll no doubt be due to Milwaukee underachieving in the playoffs. While he won’t be a free agent this offseason, Antetokounmpo could very well request a trade to the Heat, who will need this draft selection to help pay the asking price.
Oladipo could also be on the outs from Indiana early, with potential to ask out after this year. If any of these guys come knocking on Miami’s door, trades will no doubt start with their first-round pick.
For now, the Miami Heat are focused on their first-round playoff series with the Indiana Pacers. They’ve put together a 2-0 lead thus far, with Game 3 slated for Saturday afternoon.