Heat learns draft slot and Love sets record. And how Butler, other award finalists compare

The Heat learned on Monday afternoon that it will select 18th in the June 22 NBA Draft.

A random drawing determined the draft order of the teams that finished with the same record. Among those teams were the Heat, Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors, who each finished 44-38.

The drawing determined that the Heat will pick 18th, Golden State 19th and the Clippers 20th. Because the Heat made the playoffs, the Heat cannot participate in the May 16 draft lottery that determines the order of the first 14 picks.

The Heat does not own a second round selection; that pick, which is 50th overall, will be conveyed to Indiana or Oklahoma City as part of previous trades.

Players projected for the Heat’s draft range, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, include NZ (Australian) Zippers swingman Rayan Rupert, Ohio State swing forward Brice Sensabaugh, Duke center Dereck Lively II, Alabama power forward Noah Clowney, Michigan swingman Jett Howard, G-League Ignite swing forward Leonard Miller, Michigan swing guard Kobe Bufkin and Duke swingman Dariq Whitehead.

Givony has the Heat taking Rupert in his mock draft, noting: “Miami could certainly stand to beef up its defense on the wings, making Rupert an intriguing fit. Despite missing time because of injury and playing a limited role in the NBL this season in Australia, Rupert has plenty of fans around the NBA.

“He has shown he can impact games defensively with his wingspan and has flashed improved catch-and-shoot ability from distance, which remains a key growth area. While still a ways from contributing, the demand for wings with his type of tools and mentality makes him a firm first-round candidate, and a potential riser in the pre-draft process.”

The Heat also could use the pick as a carrot in a potential trade. Once the season ends, the Heat will have two first-round picks that can be used in a trade - its 2023 pick and its 2028 selection.

But the Heat can make a third first-round pick available for use in a trade if Miami and Oklahoma City agree to lift the protections on the lottery-protected first-round pick owed to the Thunder in 2025 or 2026.

If the Heat and OKC agree that OKC would get the 2025 pick under any circumstances, then the Heat could offer its 2023, 2027 and 2029 first-round picks in a trade. Lifting the 2025 protections on the pick would free up that additional first-rounder for Miami to trade because of a rule that teams cannot trade first-round picks (before the selections are made) in consecutive years.

Miami owns its 2024 first-round pick but that pick cannot be traded.

The Heat has never previously owned the 18th pick. Among the best players drafted 18th overall include James Posey (1999), Quentin Richardson (2000), David West (2003), JR Smith (2004), JaVale McGee (2008) and Eric Bledsoe (2010).

Players picked most recently at 18 include former UM guard Lonnie Walker, Goga Bitadze, Josh Green, Tre Mann and Dalen Terry.

LOVE’S CONTRIBUTIONS

Per HoopsHabit’s Simon Smith and Stathead, Kevin Love on Sunday became the first player in NBA playoff history to produce at least 18 points and 8 rebounds and four three pointers in 23 minutes or less.

“There was a calmness to him, a competitive fire to him,” Erik Spoelstra said after the Heat’s Game 1 win in Milwaukee. “That’s a hard balance to have both of those things and he knocked down some big ones to keep his defense honest. His rebounding was good, his pick-and-roll coverage was very solid. But this is not his first rodeo. He’s been in a lot of these kinds of games.”

Love closed 5 for 9 from the field and 4 for 7 on threes. He noticed that Bucks center Brook Lopez began to defend him more tightly after Love started hitting threes.

“Miss or make, not only myself but us collectively, we have to shoot the three,” Love said. “I think it just makes Jimmy [Butler’s] and Bam [Adebayo’s]... lives easier. We want a steady diet of those two guys and we all play off of them. So that’s the luxury of being able to have a big that can shoot it. I have to take them when they’re there and knock them down.”

Love pushed for his buyout from Cleveland in February after coach J.B. Bickerstaff removed him from the rotation. So it was notable that Love outscored the entire Cavs bench in Game 1 of the playoffs; Cleveland reserves combined for just 14 points in their loss to the Knicks on Saturday.

CLUTCH AWARD

The NBA will name the winner of its Clutch Player of the Year award during TNT’s pre-game show at 7 p.m. Tuesday, and the Heat’s Butler, Chicago’s DeMar DeRozan and Sacramento’s De’Aaron Fox are the finalists. Fox is considered the favorite.

Here’s how they compared using the NBA’s definition of clutch time (final five minutes with a margin of five points or fewer):

▪ Butler scored 151 points in 159 clutch minutes, shooting 50.5 percent from the field (48 for 95) and 79.1 from the line (53 for 67).

Miami was 25-18 in those clutch games that Butler played in, and the Heat outscored teams by 38 points during those 159 clutch minutes.

▪ DeRozan scored 159 points in 159 clutch minutes, shooting 47.1 percent from the field (49 for 104) and 89.2 percent from the line (58 for 65).

But Chicago was just 14-20 in those clutch games that DeRozan played in, and the Bulls outscored teams by only eight points during those 159 clutch minutes.

▪ Fox scored 194 points in 160 clutch minutes, shooting 52.9 percent from the field (72 of 136) and 86 percent from the line (43 of 50).

Sacramento was 22-17 in those clutch games that Fox played in, and the Kings outscored teams by 24 points during those 160 clutch minutes.

The Heat won 24 games this season by five points or fewer – most in franchise history and tied for the most in NBA history.“That’s the way we’ve been playing all year long,” Butler said Friday. “When the game is on the line, we always find a way.”