The Miami Heat are entering a very interesting offseason. The Heat are coming off a highly disappointing 2024-25 campaign that ended with only 37 victories, and Miami has more than 46 wins in only one of the past five seasons. At the same time, the Pat Riley-led Heat are always aiming high when it comes to star hunting and lofty expectations, including a potential trade pursuit of Kevin Durant.
In short, a lot can change with the Heat in a short period of time, but Miami also enters the offseason with clear roster needs, both in the short- and long-term.
Miami Heat team needs
It would almost be easier to acknowledge the pieces of Miami's roster that are actually set, rather than all of the holes the Heat may have. Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro are firmly entrenched at the top of Miami's roster, and young big man Kel'el Ware seems to be a core piece for the Heat. Miami does have intriguing young players in Jaime Jaquez and Nikola Jovic, but the Heat do have clear uncertainty.
Point guard is at least an area of potential need for the Heat, even if restricted free agent Davion Mitchell returns. The Terry Rozier experiment has failed in Miami, and Herro needs a running mate in the backcourt for the long-term.
On the wing, Andrew Wiggins is a solid starter, but his contract will expire soon. Miami, like most of the NBA, would love to have more forward depth, and that is a potential avenue to explore with the No. 20 pick in the draft. Elsewhere, the Heat could also use more big man depth, especially if the plan is to play Adebayo and Ware together on a regular basis.
Prospects to watch at No. 20 overall
Cedric Coward, F, Washington State -- The most recent consensus big board from Rookie Scale has Coward at No. 20 overall. That isn't the reason that Coward lands on this list, but it does give Miami a bit of optimism. The Heat have a well-documented history of developing players, and Coward is a wildly talented forward with a 7'2 wingspan and all kinds of tools. He had a long and winding road to the NBA Draft, including only six games this past season at Washington State, but Coward would be a high-upside pick at a position that would make sense.
Nolan Traore, G, Saint-Quentin -- As noted above, Miami could be in the market for a guard, and Traore is a toolsy guard with the measurements to play on or of the ball. He was quite effective at the highest levels in Europe this season at a young age, and the uncertainty really comes down to his shooting. Traore should be able to defend and, in a situation in which he doesn't have to be a dominant on-ball player, he can thrive.
Rasheer Fleming, F, St. Joseph's -- Fleming has an NBA-ready profile as a power forward with a 7'5 wingspan and a weight over 230 pounds. He is a physically strong and developed player with real athleticism and burst. Fleming doesn't have a ton of secondary tools on offense, with especially limited creation ability as a facilitator, but he shot the ball incredibly well (53.1 percent from the field and 39 percent from 3-point range) this season. Fleming is really effective off the ball and, given his physicality and ability to switch, he can fit snugly in Miami's varied defensive system. In addition, Fleming could play well with either Adebayo or Ware, and he also might be able to function as a small-center if necessary.