Miami Heat Offseason Moves and Draft Picks 2023

Miami Heat potential picks for the 2023 NBA Draft are:

• Leonard Miller - Small forward
• Bilal Coulibaly - Small forward
• Jett Howard - Small forward
• Dariq Whitehead - Small forward

The Miami Heat, a three-time championship-winning team, has only one selection for the 77th edition of the NBA Draft in the 18th pick of the first round.

Since they traded away their Round 2 pick at number 50 for the Dallas Mavericks, who then traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder, Miami only has one pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.

On July 7, 2017, the Miami Heat acquired AJ Hammons from Dallas by trading him to their team. In return, they gave Josh McRoberts a 2023 second-round draft pick.

The final giant board for the 2023 mock draft suggests that Heat would go for the 19-year-old NBA G League player Leonard Miller. Miller, who stands at an impressive height of 6 feet and 10 inches, played as a small forward for the NBA G League Ignite team.

If Heat picked Miller, then they could use him as a backup for their star player Jimmy Butler and maybe one day be his successor in the team.

Another potential recruit is an 18-year-old French player Bilal Coulibaly. Although measuring 6-foot-7 in height, Bilal has a long wingspan of 7 feet 3 inches.

Despite being only 18 years old, he played an important for his team Metropolitans 92, in LNB Pro A. He stood out as an excellent defender on the outside and significantly improved his offensive skills as the season progressed.

On the other hand, Miami could also go for Big Ten Conference player Jett Howard. Howard is a regular starter for the Michigan Wolverines basketball team that competes in NCAA March Madness.

The 6-foot-8 small forward could be a perfect replacement for Butler. Howard was the second-highest scorer for Michigan, averaging 14.2 points per game. He also made the most three-pointers for the Wolverines, totaling 78.

Miami Heat available players for a potential move in the 2023 offseason are:

• Kevin Love (unrestricted free agent)
• Gabe Vincent (unrestricted free agent)
• Max Strus (unrestricted free agent)
• Cody Zeller (unrestricted free agent)
• Udonis Haslem (unrestricted free agent)
• Omer Yurtseven (restricted free agent)
• Haywood Highsmith (restricted free agent)
• Jamal Cain (restricted free agent)
• Victor Oladipo (has a player option for next season)

The upcoming 2023 offseason poses a significant challenge for Heat coach Erik Spoelstra. With several players set to become free agents, Spoelstra has considerable work ahead of him to prepare for the next season.

The first one on the list is a 34-year-old power forward, Kevin Love. The 2016 NBA champion Love inked a contract with the Heat in February 2023 and started in 17 regular season games. He also appeared in 20 playoffs game and had average points of 6.9, assists of 1.2, and 5.6 rebounds per game.

The veteran big man has been a valuable asset for the Heat since joining in February.  However, he is on the verge of becoming an unrestricted free agent.

Meanwhile, the Heat legend Haslem will retire after an illustrious two-decade NBA career. Although he will become a free agent, it is unlikely that he will sign with a different team.

Haslem signed with the Heat in 2003 after going undrafted in the 2002 Draft. The 42-year-old played in the 2023 NBA Finals and immediately announced his retirement after the loss.

On the other hand, Max Strus, 27, and Gabe Vincent, 26, key players in the Heat's rotation, will have the option to become unrestricted free agents.

This means they can explore opportunities with other teams and earn higher salaries. However, the Miami Heat have the advantage of having full bird rights for both players, which permits them to exceed the salary cap to re-sign them if they choose to do so.

Additionally, Miami could also let go of their youngster Omer Yurtseven. The 24-year-old has displayed gleams of his potential and is expected to become a restricted free agent.

The Heat hold the power to match any offer he may receive, yet they may also consider releasing him to create more cap space.

The latest Miami Heat Trade rumors circle star players:

• Damian Lillard
• Bradley Beal

Following their underwhelming defeat in the 2023 NBA Finals against the Denver Nuggets, the Heat is looking to improve the team and look for suitable trade options.

According to Heat insider Barry Jackson, the seek for another star player to add to their good team is stronger than ever, and he believes Miami will try all their effort to land somebody with big stature in the offseason.

Over the last few days, there has been substantial speculation surrounding two players that have been strongly linked to Miami. The possible targets include no-trade clause player Beal and Lillard.

Reports suggest that the Heat are exploring the possibility of acquiring the Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal. He may be seeking a new team.

Though the Miami Heat trade assets should be substantial to obtain the 29-year-old, his addition would undoubtedly enhance their roster.

Another Miami target Lillard has requested a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers. The Heat is one of the teams that have been mentioned as a possible landing spot for Damian.

Lillard is a highly dedicated athlete who has achieved considerable success in his profession yet has not attained the ultimate goal of winning a championship. He could be a significant coup for the Heat and become an NBA champion with them.

However, any potential Lillard trade will come at a considerable cost, with talented guard Tyler Herro going the other side. But Herro may not be sufficient for the Heat to acquire a star player like Lillard. They must be willing to let go of current players and future draft picks to make it happen.