We have known for nearly a month that Monday night’s 2025 NBA Draft Lottery had no bearing on the Miami Heat, who became the first team in NBA History to escape the play-in as the No. 10 seed.
Miami was still mercifully swept out of the postseason, nowhere to be seen again for the remainder of the 2024-25 season. And for good reason. They were laughed, kicked and stomped out of their home building not just once, but twice by the Cleveland Cavaliers, losing Games 3 and 4 by a combined 92 points–122 for the series, an NBA record.
As a result of making the playoffs, the Heat–who had the 11th-best lottery odds heading into the play-in after finishing 37-45–lost their lottery-protected pick. They still have just one selection in the 2025 NBA Draft: The No. 20 pick, acquired by the Golden State Warriors in the Jimmy Butler trade.
However, the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery results added even more insult to injury to what was already one of the worst Heat seasons since the turn of the century.
The Dallas Mavericks, who had the 11th-best odds, won the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery:
Yes, you read that correctly.
The Dallas Mavericks, who had just an 8.5 percent chance at securing a top-4 pick and a 1.8 percent chance at landing the No. 1 pick, won the lottery and earned the No. 1 pick.
They had the 11th-best odds–in the exact spot the Miami Heat held when its tumultuous regular season ended one month ago.
Fitting, right?!
While changing one variable (team) doesn’t mean the Heat would’ve moved up–they never have in 11 trips–the agonizing stomach churn processing the “what-if?” must be lasting. You can’t help but imagine it. You can’t help but laugh.
By no means am I advocating for outright tanking Hornets, Jazz or Wizards style–the Nos. 4-6 picks, respectively–but let’s not forget the greatest player in Heat history was a top-5 pick.
Sure, preventing two future picks from being locked up is a positive from making the postseason.
But Miami could’ve used this one–badly.
For a franchise lacking a clear direction, landing Flagg–or any of the top talents–would’ve put this organization right back on the path it should be on: Building a sustainable contender. The trajectory would’ve completely changed. All of the constant turmoil would’ve been worth it.
Yet, we are all here today, imagining what could’ve been on a day that didn’t have any bearing on the Miami Heat’s pick in the first place.
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Nba draft is rigged, how is it that the top 3 teams picking, when healthy are playoff teams, none of them deserve those picks. Dallas doesn’t the number 1 pick after trading away luka for street clothes. Ad and Flagg sounds like better compensation for the luka trade. Spurs somehow lucked into a core of wemby, castle, and now harper in consecutive years. Also freaking Philly gets the 3rd pick after trusting the process spending money to get an over the hill pg, still got lowry,and injury prone embiid, and Young ascending players Maxey, and McCain. You can’t make this up, Adam silver got some explaining to do.
I’m happy for the Mavs. They can thank Mia for not tanking coz that draft could’ve been Heat’s. I’m satisfied coz habitual tankers didn’t get that #1 pick but sucks its not ours.
I feel the same way minus the happy for mavs part.
agreed. As much as I hate the Mavs and Sixers landing top-3, this is a well deserved outcome for teams that have spent multiple years tanking, like the Wizards, Jazz, and Raptors
Another reason why Micky needs to remove Pat. That pick could have been franchise altering. But instead we got ‘valuable’ playoff experience.
Miami may not be the Wizards, but they are most definitely a poverty franchise at this point.
Poverty franchise? They’ve been to the Conference Finals 3 times and the Finals 2 times in the past 5 years. There are franchises that haven’t had that much success in their entire history. Heat fans are some of the most entitiled, spoiled fans in the nba
Hahahahahahahaha! LMAO!!
But to be fair no one knows what the future holds at that time. I love the fight, the confidence in these Heat team, yes including you Pat! Believing they can have a deep run in these playoffs. Moving on…
https://www.espn.ph/nba/story/_/id/45109801/sources-giannis-antetokounmpo-explore-best-fits-milwaukee
Pat’s outta touch, and what good is fight without talent? Our scrub roster needed a talent infusion.
And if any of ya’ll have faith in Pat at this point, I question your sanity.
He strikes out far more than he hits. His best hits have been with mid 1st round draft picks, but he gives them away like they are worthless.
I question my sanity too. But as ive said a dozen times over, we are at the mercy of the godfather. Unless anyone here can go and replace him.
Anyone that doesn’t understand that losing this pick is a very bad day for our team is either kidding, or worse.
Having said that, my position remains what’s done is done. Can’t change it now. But it sucks.
And tbh it’s a fireable offense but this (incompetent) is what it has become franchise isn’t going to fire anyone no heads will roll and they will run it back to be a perennial playin team as long as it’s here (also didn’t hear pat bat an eye at being in the playin as long as its inception) but incompetence is going to lead this team into mediocrity for the foreseeable future
We can now only imagine what if…
Ware, Bam, Flagg, Tyler, Mitchell
Then trade a player or two for a backup center and pf. Boom! Instant contender and perhaps champions after 2 seasons.
Ok the dream is over…lets move on lol
We wouldn’t have had to trade for a backup center. With pick #20, we could have had Fleming, Wolf, or Broome.