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The Miami Heat have never really been major players at the NBA Draft. In fact, they're one of the few teams left in the NBA that has yet to win the lottery. Nonetheless, the franchise has been historically great in finding diamonds in the rough, thanks to their elite player development. They will be attempting to do that again when the Heat select 20th overall in the upcoming 2025 NBA Draft.
However, that doesn't mean that the franchise has a clean record of making the right draft picks. Here is a look at the Miami Heat's 10 worst NBA Draft day mistakes in history.
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10. Dorell Wright – 2004
Historically, the Heat haven't been lucky in the lottery and with their first-round draft picks. Add Dorell Wright into the mix of first-round picks that didn't exactly thrive with the Heat. While Wright did carve out solid stints in the NBA and even won a championship with Miami, he was a nonfactor in 2006.
It also didn't help that his worst seasons came with the Heat. Although his second tenure with the franchise as a buy-out acquisition in 2016 showed signs of redemption in the playoffs, the 19th overall pick of the 2004 NBA Draft wasn't as impactful as a first rounder should've been.
9. Charles Smith – 1997
At the 1997 NBA Draft, the Heat weren't exactly privileged enough to get their hands on the cream of the crop, picking only with the 26th and 31st overall picks. With the 26th pick, Miami selected New Mexico standout Charles Smith. He never lived up to the bill as a first-round pick, averaging just 0.9 points per game in a Heat uniform. Five seasons later, he was out of the NBA.
8. Wayne Simien – 2005
Another first-round pick who didn't live up to the bill was Wayne Simien. Miami only had a lone draft pick at the 2005 NBA Draft, selecting Simien 29th overall. The Kansas star struggled to find a niche in the NBA. He put up just 3.3 points per game in his two-year NBA career, all with the Heat. A better option in the draft would've been David Lee, who became an eventual All-Star.
7. Arnett Moultrie – 2012
While the Heat only had one pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, they made a couple of mistakes in this one. They selected Arnett Moultrie in the first round with the 27th overall pick. Moultrie only lasted two seasons in the NBA, all with the Philadelphia 76ers.
In the trade to Philly, the Heat received Justin Hamilton and a first-round pick. Hamilton also carved out an uneventful NBA career. If Miami was trying to find another hidden talent, the better options would've been Draymond Green or Khris Middleton.
6. P.J. Hairston – 2014
Talk about wasting another failed pursuit of a hidden talent. At the 2014 NBA Draft, the Heat selected P.J. Hairston out of UNC with the 26th overall pick. On the same night, they traded Hairston for 24th pick Shabazz Napier. Both players never became major contributors in the NBA. To add insult to injury, the Heat missed out on eventual three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, who was drafted in the second round.
5. Harold Miner – 1992
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One of the worst draft picks in franchise history, Harold Miner was selected 12th overall at the 1992 NBA Draft. Coming out of USC, Miner earned the moniker of “Baby Jordan.” While he was a high-flyer, the USC star was rendered ineffective at the NBA level. Miner was a double-digit scorer in his first two seasons, but it wasn't enough to materialize lofty expectations. As a result, his career lasted only for four seasons.
4. Tim James – 1999
Another late first-round pick who didn't work out was Tim James. The 25th pick out of the University of Miami didn't carry big expectations. However, his tenure with the Heat could only be described with disappointment. James averaged just 2.8 points per game in four outings for Miami. He was barely in the team's rotation before leaving him out for good. Three seasons later, James was out of the NBA.
3. Khalid Reeves – 1994
Aside from Miner, the Heat enjoyed another 12th overall pick at the 1994 NBA Draft. The selection became Arizona star Khalid Reeves. Like Miner, Reeves also turned into a bust. He was unproductive for the Heat, averaging just 9.2 points per game, which wasn't lottery pick material. On the bright side, the front office redeemed themselves after packaging Reeves in a trade that landed All-Star big man Alonzo Mourning.
2. Justise Winslow – 2015
After the breakup of the Heat's Big Three of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh, the franchise headed for a rebuild. At that point, Miami had the privilege of selecting with the 10th overall pick, a solid opportunity to kick off a new era in strong fashion. The Heat settled with Justise Winslow. He initially showed flashes. However, the Duke star also failed to play consistently. Moreover, injuries started to creep in, which eventually derailed his career.
1. Michael Beasley – 2008
The biggest disappointment among the Heat's draft picks has to be Michael Beasley. The 2008 NBA Draft marked the franchise's highest selection in history with the second overall pick. As a result, the team went with the Kansas State star. Beasley possessed plenty of potential as a versatile power forward, thanks to his athleticism.
Unfortunately, Beasley's immaturity and off-court issues eventually took its toll. Even before his rapid decline, the Heat decided to part ways with him, wasting away a premiere lottery pick that could've been used on either Russell Westbrook or Kevin Love.
