The Miami Heat flamed out during the 2025 season after the in-season drama revolving around the Heat’s star forward Jimmy Butler. Ultimately, they traded Butler away to the Golden State Warriors at the trade deadline. Miami never got back on track during the second half of the season, finishing as the 10th seed by the end of the regular season. In the play-in tournament, they proceeded to win two straight games to secure a playoff bid. All-Stars Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro bring some hope for the future of the team. However, they only minimized their chances at a higher selection in the 2025 NBA Draft after being swept in the first round by the No. 1-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers. The Heat will sit at No. 20 in the upcoming draft as they look to shape their next wave of culture-setting contributors. Let’s dive into the Heat’s options in the draft. 

Under Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra, the Heat focus on a prospect’s ability to execute on the fundamentals. They target players who are taught right and who are coachable. They built championship-level rosters around Butler in 2020 and 2023 with this philosophy, and they seem to defy the odds each season. It is important for them that every prospect they target optimizes those key traits. For Miami, the players who can define their specific role are as essential as the team’s stars.

High character, hard work, toughness, and basketball IQ are common traits found in Heat draft picks like Adebayo and Herro. In Miami’s end-of-season press conference, Riley highlighted the growth of the two stars and their importance to the organization.

When talking about Herro’s growth into an All-Star this past season, Riley commented:

“He is one of the most ignitable offensive players in the league … He’s pivotal to us as an offensive player. We just need more around him that can do a little bit of what he does… It’s a whole ‘nother world that he is in now.”

Recent draft selections have shown a mixture of NBA-ready and high-upside prospects. Selections like Jaime Jaquez Jr. in 2023 showed a desire to continue to surround their stars with NBA-ready prospects. However, selections like Kel’el Ware and Nikola Jovic indicate Miami wants to be best suited for the future. As they prepare for the 2025 NBA Draft, their situation is vastly different from previous years. Butler is off the team, and they sit without a star who can develop into a No. 1 option.

Miami likely won’t be in a position to draft that type of player at No. 20. Nevertheless, with Spoelstra’s player development, nothing is out of the question. Last time the Heat had the 20th pick, they selected Precious Achiuwa in the 2020 NBA Draft. However, their past three first-round selections have developed into key contributors on their roster.

Specifically, Jaquez and Ware were on All-Rookie teams for their respective 2023 and 2024 draft classes. As rookies, they made an immediate impact. Jaquez averaged 11.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game in his rookie season. Ware averaged 9.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game.

The Heat could target NBA-ready prospects like Colorado State’s Nique Clifford or St. Joseph’s Rasheer Fleming to shape the new wave in Miami. However, they could be primed to take a swing on a high-upside prospect like Illinois’ Will Riley or North Carolina’s Drake Powell. Miami tends to eye prospects who possess big-time potential and provide versatility, which they help maximize quickly during the player’s tenure. This draft features plenty of high upside and versatile players.

Whatever decision they make with No. 20, the Heat organization has to prioritize the future of their roster. As enticing as trading for a star like Kevin Durant sounds when initially looking at the possibility, the Heat aren’t in a position to make that type of move.

They need to start a new era of Heat basketball. Giving Spoelstra the opportunity to focus on the player development and growth of the team’s young pieces will only benefit their future. Competing in the playoffs is nice, but purgatory is the last place this team wants to sit in.