In what will be remembered as the first notable move since the addition of Giannis Antetokounmpo (which still won't be finalized until July), the Miami Heat selected Ryan Conwell out of Louisville with their second-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Miami technically selected Nate Ament with the No. 13 overall pick, but he's expected to be conveyed to the Bucks as part of the Giannis trade package. That means that the Heat's second-round pick will be remembered as the first step in the team's attempt to start building around their new superstar.
On that front, Conwell is an interesting, but not a surprising, pick on behalf of the Heat. Even after the acquisition of Giannis, the overwhelming expectation was that they needed to find a path to add more shooting.
Ryan Conwell can be an immediate contributor for the Heat
Conwell not only adds some shooting to the roster, but he's also an experienced guard who may be able to contribute sooner rather than later for Miami. Conwell played four seasons in college, with four different teams.
He concluded his collegiate career at Louisville, averaging 19 points, five rebounds, and three assists per game on 41 percent shooting from the field and 35 percent shooting from 3-point range. Over his four-year career in college, Conwell shot 38 percent from deep.
Standing at 6-foot-4 with a 6-foot-7 wingspan, Conwell will have the ability to grow into a versatile role with the team. If he can pick up the system quickly, there's no reason why Conwell can't emerge as the next great find for the Heat.
As one of the most experienced players coming out of the draft, this is a move that had the Heat written all over it. Projecting forward, there's reason to believe that Conwell's transition to the Association can be slightly easier because he'll get to play next to Bam Adebayo and Giannis.
The Heat's roster reconstruction is barely getting started
This is just the first move, with likely many more to follow. But if this first move is any indication of how the Heat are going to operate, we can assume that the front office is going to be aggressive in building out a supporting cast around Giannis.
Not only did the Heat make a move for a ready-now player, but they also traded up to snag him. If that isn't a vote of confidence in Giannis, I'm not sure what is.
It remains to be seen just how good Conwell will end up being for the Heat, or if he'll even contribute this season, but the intent is clearly where it needs to be.
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