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Miami Heat: Ranking the franchise’s last 10 first-round picks

By Sam DiGiovanni

MIAMI, FL - OCTOBER 14: Bam Adebayo #13, Justise Winslow #20, and Tyler Herro #14 of the Miami Heat look on against the Atlanta Hawks during a pre-season game on October 14, 2019 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL - OCTOBER 14: Bam Adebayo #13, Justise Winslow #20, and Tyler Herro #14 of the Miami Heat look on against the Atlanta Hawks during a pre-season game on October 14, 2019 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Miami Heat (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images for STM Sports) /

8. Wayne Simien

  • Drafted 29th overall in 2005
  • Years in Miami: two

6’9″ forward Wayne Simien was drafted by the Heat near the end of the first round of the 2005 draft. Simien spent four years at Kansas; in his final year, he led the Jayhawks to a Big-12 regular-season title and won the conference’s Player of the Year award.

Simien’s time with the Heat lasted just two years and 51 games. He averaged 3.3 points and 1.9 rebounds in 9.9 minutes per game. Less than a week before the 2007-08 season, Miami traded him, two other players and a first-round pick for Ricky Davis and Mark Blount. Simien was waived shortly after the trade and never played in the NBA again.

By selecting Simien, the Heat passed up on two-time All-Star David Lee, who went to the New York Knicks with the very next pick. The Heat also passed on several other players who carved out decade-long careers: C.J. Miles, Ersan Ilyasova, and Monta Ellis.

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7. Tyler Herro

  • Drafted 14th overall in 2019
  • Years in Miami: one (and counting)

Coming off a year where the Heat ranked 21st in 3-point percentage, the Heat drafted one of the best shooters in the draft in Kentucky guard Tyler Herro.

Herro has been more than advertised so far. The 6-5 shooting guard ranks fifth in total 3-pointers made and eighth in scoring for rookies. His handle and shot creation are strong for a youngster and he has sunk clutch shots time and time again.

In 47 games, Herro averaged 12.9 points on 41.4 percent field goal shooting and 39.1 percent 3-point shooting. He scored the most points as a teenager in Heat history and is the only one to surpass 25 points in a game, doing so twice.

It’s too early to tell whether Herro was the best pick Miami could have made. Brandon Clarke, picked 21st overall, is the only rookie drafted after Herro that has definitely been better. At the moment, Herro has exceeded expectations and it’s looking like the Heat hit on another prospect. Should he continue to be a positive player for Miami, he’ll shoot up this list in no time.

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