THE MIAMI Heat had a rocky 2024/25 NBA season, but will be looking to add a key piece to their roster when they take the Golden State Warriors’ first round selection into the 2025 NBA Draft in Chicago in the coming weeks.

Much of Miami’s season was spent dealing with the headlines that came with the Jimmy Butler trade request, finally putting an end to the story when they shipped the six-time NBA All-Star to the Warriors, as the Heat looked to retool its roster.

The Heat did still manage to book their spot in the play-in tournament, and became the first 10th-seeded team to make the playoffs after defeating the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks. However, they were defeated by the Cleveland Cavaliers in four games in the first round of the playoffs.

Now, the Heat will turn their attention to the draft, where they will take a top-20 selection into the first night and look to add another young piece to support some of their stars.

Miami Heat

Draft selections

20

Contracted players

Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, Andrew Wiggins, Terry Rozier, Duncan Robinson (non-guaranteed), Kyle Anderson, Haywood Highsmith, Kel’el Ware, Kevin Love, Jamie Jaquez Jr. (team option), Nikola Jovic (team option), Pelle Larsson (non-guaranteed), Keshad Johnson (team option)

The Heat have been perennial contenders throughout the modern era of the NBA, but have still found a way to pick up some quality players later in the first round, such as Adebayo and Herro, who are now the centrepieces of the franchise.

Adding more quality young talent is crucial for setting the team up for the future, and in a draft class that goes deeper than some previous years, the opportunity is as strong as ever to find a potential star with their sole selection.

Although drafted as a shooting guard, Herro has been playing the primary playmaking role a lot over the past couple of years, and although he has adapted to the part, he is typically at his best at the two, where he can showcase his scoring capacity.

Although taking raw prospects is unlike the Heat, if point guard Nolan Traore is still on the board, he may be too hard to pass up. At six-foot-four, he certainly brings size to the position, and his potential is off the charts as one of the best point guards in the draft.

Traore is immensely fast, often finding scoring opportunities in transition with his elite pace, while also showing a tight handle and impressive scoring ability. He may take a few years to fully find his feet at the top level, but his ceiling justifies the selection.

Another fit for the team could be wing Ben Saraf, with Wiggins now 30 years old, so finding a replacement for the future could be a smart move. Saraf has plenty of playmaking and shot creation as a prospect, and could act as a secondary or even primary ball-handler in the future.

There is still work to be done when it comes to his defence and consistency as a shooter, but he could be a strong option for Miami if it looks to improve its offensive production for the future. He would also pair nicely next to the likes of Herro and Adebayo given his impressive passing ability.