The Miami Heat has made it to the playoffs this season. As a result, they lost their draft pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder this summer. However, they acquired a draft pick from the Golden State Warriors as part of the Jimmy Butler trade, so they'll still be on the clock come June.
The Heat will hold the 20th pick in the upcoming draft. Let's take a look at some of the best players who have been selected at that point in the NBA draft.
Jameer Nelson
In the 2004 NBA draft, the Orlando Magic selected Jameer Nelson out of St. Joseph's. Funny enough, the Heat reportedly almost selected Nelson with the 19th pick but selected Dorrell Wright instead.
Some thought that Miami was a young team and wanted Wright to grow with this core. Months later, the Heat traded for Shaquille O'Neal. Nelson would have been an excellent fit for that Heat team in a backcourt with Dwyane Wade.
Nelson had a good NBA career. He made the 2009 All-Star team and went to the 2010 NBA Finals with the Magic. In a 2004 re-draft, Nelson would have been taken much earlier.
Jalen Johnson
Jalen Johnson, the 20th pick in the 2021 draft, had a career year this past season. If Johnson didn't get injured, he had a real chance of becoming an All-Star.
Johnson's draft-day stock tumbled because he left Duke early to focus on his NBA career. He played in only 13 games in college and missed three due to a foot injury before leaving the program.
Still, Johnson's talent is obvious, and his falling to 20th was surprising at the time. Luckily, the Hawks got a steal in Johnson and a core piece to build with. The Heat would be thrilled if another projected top-10 pick fell to 20 in this upcoming draft.
Caris LeVert
Caris LeVert was selected 20th overall in 2016. LeVert had a good career at Michigan but fell in the draft due to his foot injuries in college.
Despite having played for four teams in his career, LeVert is a proven scorer who can handle the ball, create his own shot and play off of others. He has had prominent roles on whatever team he plays for and has been a high-end role player since entering the league.
As you can see, there has been some good value at 20th overall. The Heat's front office should be trusted by now to select a player who won't struggle at the next level.