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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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6. Caron Butler

  • Drafted 10th overall in 2002
  • Years in Miami: two

Caron Butler played two stellar seasons at UConn – leading the Huskies to a Big East tournament championship and the Elite Eight in his final year – before being drafted 10th overall by Miami.

The 6-7 forward started in all of the 78 games he played his rookie year, averaging 15.4 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists and earning a spot on the All-Rookie First Team. His numbers dipped the next year, as he averaged 9.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists. He was traded in a package for Shaquille O’Neal after that season.

Butler would go on to become a two-time All-Star with the Washington Wizards and play in the NBA until he was 35 years old. With the exception of Carlos Boozer – who went 35th overall – Butler was the best Miami could have done with the 10th pick.

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5. Dorell Wright

  • Drafted 19th overall in 2005
  • Years in Miami: six

Hey, look, someone who actually had a sizeable stint with the Miami Heat. It only took half the list to get to one.

The Heat drafted Dorell Wright right out of high school in the first round of the 2005 draft. The 6-9 forward only played 23 games in his first two seasons, averaging 2.8 points in 6.9 minutes per game.

Over the next four seasons, Wright solidified a spot in the rotation. He dealt with a knee injury that caused him to miss 140 regular-season games. Starting 54 of the 188 games he played in, Wright averaged 6.7 points and 4.0 rebounds in 21.1 minutes. In his final season in Miami, Wright developed a decent 3-point shot, shooting 38.9 percent from beyond the arc on 2.2 3-point attempts.

Wright left the Heat in free agency for the Golden State Warriors after that season. His production immediately jumped, averaging 16.4 points and 3.0 assists. He played another year for the Warriors, one with the Sixers and two with the Portland Trail Blazers.

After his time in the NBA, Wright played in China, averaging 24.3 points per game. He found his way back to the Heat in the summer of 2016 but never played another game in the NBA.

Miami could have done better than Wright at the 19th spot. Jameer Nelson, a one-time All-Star was drafted with the very next pick and Tony Allen, a six-time All-Defensive team member, was drafted six picks later.

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