The "what if" moment that changed every NBA team forever

Miami Heat: What if the Heat drafted Russell Westbrook over Michael Beasley?

After the abrupt end of the Shaq era, the Miami Heat went through a mini-rebuild that culminated with them selecting second in the 2008 NBA Draft. Miami infamously took Michael Beasley ahead of Russell Westbrook and Kevin Love, and he lasted just two seasons before being traded as a part of the LeBron James sign-and-trade that brought him to Miami.

Had Beasley not worn out his welcome with the team, then they might have tried to keep him out of that trade. And had they taken Westbrook, they would have almost certainly found a way to keep him and pair him with LeBron, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh. Imagine that team! Had that happened, then LeBron's proclamation of "not two, not three, not four, not five, not six, not seven..." might have been much closer to reality.

The Heat might have gone four for four in the NBA Finals from 2010 to 2014, and LeBron might not have left to go back to Cleveland, causing a chain reaction. Dirk probably wouldn't have won a championship, Duncan and the Spurs wouldn't have won a fifth title, Harden would have stayed in OKC with Durant, and Curry might not have won four rings. All of that could have happened had Miami not drafted Beasley.