Heat are intensifying workouts for first-round prospects as draft nears

Last year, the Miami Heat were fairly tight-lipped as to who they worked out ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft, where they owned the No. 20 pick. There were a limited number of names publicly disclosed — and the number of first-round names was even more sparse.

Miami eventually drafted Illinois’ Kasparas Jakucionis after he fell into their lap. But the 6-foot-5 Lithuanian guard was not a part of that shortlist of pre-draft workouts. At the time, the Heat were involved in the Kevin Durant sweepstakes, concluding three days before the draft.

Fast forward to now, 10 days removed from the 2026 NBA Draft — where they own the No. 13 pick — they are front-and-center for Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. As those trade talks intensify before the Bucks’ self-imposed deadline (on draft night), so are the number of workouts the Heat are conducting, especially for realistic prospects at 13.

Heat are doing due diligence for names at 13:

Assuming they do acquire Antetokounmpo, the Heat won’t be keeping the No. 13 overall pick, arguably their most valuable asset not named Bam Adebayo. The first round is incredibly deep — albeit with a steep drop-off heading into the second — and many are operating as if the Bucks will have two lottery picks (they already own No. 10 overall).

But acquiring the two-time MVP is no guarantee. As a result, they’re doing their due diligence by conducting more workouts for prospects that they can draft at 13.

According to Five Reasons Sports’ Greg Sylvander, the Heat have either completed — or are scheduling — workouts for these potential first-round prospects:

Labaron Philon, G, Alabama
Chris Cenac Jr., F/C, Houston
Jayden Quaintance, C, Kentucky
Nate Ament, F, Tennessee
Hannes Steinbach, F/C, Washington
Karim Lopez, F, Mexico

Before he withdrew, the Heat also worked out Alabama wing Amari Allen. They also worked out Santa Clara’s Allen Graves and Michigan’s Morez Johnson Jr., according to the Rookie Wire’s Cody Taylor.

Here’s our full workout tracker!

I will be releasing one final Heat-centric big board before the draft. But the aforementioned names I am highest on are Philon (11), Johnson (13) and Cenac (14). Conversely, I was much lower on Ament and Lopez.

The reporting suggests Miami remains the frontrunner for Antetokounmpo. It won’t be because they have a good offer (they don’t, minus the draft capital), but because Antetokounmpo wants to re-sign when he’s due for an extension in October. A triumvirate of Antetokounmpo, Adebayo and head coach Erik Spoelstra is tantalizing, but what else will they be left with?

Time will tell whether a deal is completed. Nevertheless, Miami is doing the smart thing pre-draft — even though it would heavily favor consolidating the pick for a perennial MVP candidate and a top-5 player when healthy over not.