The Miami Heat have fallen off a bit since making their Cinderella Run to the NBA Finals in 2023. However, they’ve been bad enough this season to draft a player that could get them right back into the playoff mix.
Better yet, they have two first-rounders in a pretty talented upcoming draft class. The Heat might be down, but if they play their cards right around draft time, they would be far from out.
Miami Heat Predicted To Draft Asa Newell With No. 8 Pick
PFSN’s Kyle Soppe explained why the Heat will take Newell with the eighth overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
“The Heat need to get better in the paint, as Bam Adebayo can’t do it all by himself. In comes Asa Newell, a young big with plenty of potential. Newell, a high school teammate of Flagg and Derik Queen, flashed that upside during his freshman season at Georgia,” Soppe wrote.
He further explained the appeal in Newell’s game, though he added that there are certain parts of his game he has to work on.
“Newell has an NBA-ready 6’11″ frame, though he’ll likely need to put on weight to bang at the next level. He’s an efficient scorer — his 58% effective field goal percentage ranked second among all SEC players. He also had the third-best offensive rebound percentage in the conference (13.9%).
“While Newell has shown he’s capable of stretching the floor, he hasn’t done so consistently. Expanding his offensive game will be key to maximizing his potential in the NBA. He did most of his work around the rim, with his soft touch on the offensive end and as a rim protector defensively,” Soppe wrote.
The Heat have struggled to get an adequate backup center for Adebayo over the years. While Newell could work beside Adebayo, he could spot him for minutes at the five when Adebayo has to take a seat.
Miami Heat Predicted To Draft Nique Clifford
Soppe explained why the Heat will take Richardson with the No. 21 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
“Nique Clifford is a 6’6” wing who can defend multiple positions, so he would fit into the typical Heat archetype. Clifford’s defensive versatility is his biggest strength, but he’s also a strong rebounder despite being a smaller wing.
“Clifford will turn 24 next season, which makes him an older prospect and likely drops him out of the lottery. Miami did spend its first-round pick on a four-year college player in Jaime Jaquez Jr. two years ago, though Jaquez was 22 at the start of his rookie season.”
Teams with playoff aspirations who have picks down the line in the first round typically target players who are ready to contribute now. Not just because they are typically more NBA-ready, but because they can provide that level of production on a cheap rookie contract.
The Heat may need a star following Jimmy Butler’s departure, but they’ll also need reinforcements right by said star. Clifford could fit that bill to a tee.
While it’s not like last season exactly went their way, the Heat have only trended further downward this season. Nailing these two picks could ensure that they’re not fighting in a play-in spot this time next year.