ASK IRA: How would the math work for the Heat to free up three first-round picks?
Q: Regarding the Damian Lillard drama, could you explain the minutiae involved in removing the Stepien Rule block from the first-round-draft-pick options that Miami currently owes Oklahoma City in 2025-26? – Miguel.
A: By NBA rule, teams are not allowed to be without a first-round pick in successive future seasons (it doesn’t have to be their own pick).Such is the Stepien Rule, named after late Cleveland Cavaliers owner Ted Stepian, who loved nothing more than trading away any and every available first-round pick. Under the modified trade terms with the Thunder, Oklahoma City receives the Heat’s first-round pick in 2025 if it is outside the lottery (Nos. 1-14) or else the Heat’s unconditional first-round pick in 2026. So that means, by rule, the Heat currently are unable to trade their 2024, ’25, ’26 or ’27 first-round picks, at the moment only able to deal 2028 and 2030. The workaround would be for the Heat to change the terms so that the Thunder get the Heat’s unconditional first-round pick in 2030 (at a point Jimmy Butler would be 40 and Damian Lillard 39). Under that scenario, the Heat then would be able to trade first-round picks in a potential Lillard (or other) deal in 2024, ’26 and ’28. But that does not necessarily mean the Heat want to or would need to include three such first-round picks for Lillard.
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Q: Bring Dion Waiters back. Walk with me. – Elvin.
A: Well, Josh Richardson is back. And the Heat previously brought back Michael Beasley twice. So I guess never say never. And it is encouraging to see how Dion Waiters has grown from his Heat experiences and in life in general. So 7-Eleven again with Goran Dragic and Dion Waiters (albeit requiring some number swaps)? Unlikely. But Dion always made it fun, and often entertaining.
Q: Sate Jimmy Butler’s timeline and in two to three you have an aging roster with no future other than undrafted players and risk Bam Adebayo looking to leave that mess. I just think we are giving up way too much and the roster is getting older not younger. – Rodney.
A: The one thing you should have recognized by now regarding the Heat is that they live in the moment. Every season is viewed as a playoff season. Every playoff run is viewed as championship contention. So, yes, there are long-term risks, including the way the team has dealt some future draft picks. But when it comes to keeping young prospects such as Bam Adebayo content, there is no better way than to expose him to the conference finals in three of the last four seasons. And even with Damian Lillard and Jimmy Butler, there will be ample youth in the developmental program, because there always has been ample youth in the developmental program.
