NBA draft live updates: Heat gets its big man, takes Precious Achiuwa with No. 20 pick

The Miami Heat enters the NBA draft without much fanfare. Sound familiar?

Last year, the Heat was drafting 13th. It wasn’t necessarily supposed to make a splashy, franchise-altering pick and somehow it maybe turned out to be. Miami landed Tyler Herro and was on its way to an unlikely run to the 2020 NBA Finals with the talented rookie playing an important part.

About 17 months later, the 2020 NBA draft is finally here, roughly five months late because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Heat enters the draft with the No. 20 pick. It’s nothing flashy, but Miami’s track record means Wednesday could still wind up being an important day for a team with title aspirations.

The Miami Herald will be providing live draft updates throughout the evening here. Follow along as the developments come in below.

Miami Heat takes Precious Achiuwa

10:00 p.m.: The Heat has found a big man to pair with Bam Adebayo. Precious Achiuwa is headed to Miami with the No. 20 pick of the 2020 NBA draft.

Achiuwa had a monster freshman season for the Memphis Tigers and was the only freshman in the country to win player of the year in his conference. With 15.8 points and 10.8 rebounds per game, he was also the only freshman to average a double-double last season.

Heat targets as pick approaches

9:30 p.m.: Another potential Heat target is off the board to round out the top 15. North Carolina Tar Heels guard Cole Anthony is headed to the Orlando Magic with the first pick outside the lottery.

Still, a number of potential Miami targets remain on the board, including:

▪ Tyrese Maxey. He’s a Kentucky Wildcats shooting guard and the Heat has had good success drafting those lately. He’s also a potential knockdown shooter whose game is far from one-dimensional. The three-point numbers weren’t great at Kentucky, but he can be great if they improve in the NBA.

▪ Isaiah Stewart. The Washington Huskies center fills Miami’s need to find a skilled big man to pair with All-Star post player Bam Adebayo. Coach Erik Spoelstra also has a good relationship with Washington coach Mike Hopkins.

▪ Desmond Bane. The TCU Horned Frogs shooting guard was one of the best shooters in the country last year and he also has a chance to be a good two-way player because of his defensive ability. He definitely fits “Heat culture.” He’s already 22, though.

9:10 p.m.: Another draft surprise in the top 10, with big man Jalen Smith going to the Phoenix Suns at No. 10.

Smith was a prospect multiple mock drafts had going to the Heat at pick No. 20. It turns out he was selected well before that.

At 6-10 and 225 pounds, he averaged 15.5 points while shooting 53.8 percent from the field and 32 of 87 on threes, 10.5 rebounds and 2.4 blocks as a sophomore at Maryland last season.

9 p.m.: There was a run of Eastern Conference teams that made selections in the top 10.

After LaMelo went to the Hornets at No. 3 and Williams went to the Bulls at No. 4, the Cleveland Cavaliers selected Isaac Okoro at No. 5, the Atlanta Hawks took center Onyeka Okongwu at No. 6, the Detroit Pistons drafted guard Killian Hayes at No. 7, the New York Knicks selected center Obi Toppin at No. 8 and the Washington Wizards took wing Deni Avdija at No 9.

8:30 p.m.: The Chicago Bulls deliver the first stunner of the draft, picking Patrick Williams with the No. 4 pick.

Williams didn’t start a single game for the Florida State Seminoles last year and only averaged 9.2 points per game, but emerged as a top-five pick because of his size, athleticism and scoring ability. He’s one of two Florida State players projected to go in the lottery along with Devin Vassell.

The top three, ultimately, was unsurprising as Anthony Edwards went No. 1, as expected, and James Wiseman and LaMelo were the next two picks.

WHO WENT NO. 1?

8:20 p.m.: The draft is officially underway.

Who did the Minnesota Timberwolves take with the top pick? Guard Anthony Edwards from the University of Georgia.

Edwards (6-5, 225), arguably the most physically gifted prospect in the draft class, averaged 19.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists as a freshman last season.

Who could the Heat pick?

7:30 p.m.: The mock drafts are all over place predicting whom the Heat might take at No. 20. It should serve as a clear reminder: There’s a good chance Miami trades this pick unless someone the Heat loves is still on the board.

If Miami does make the pick, this is who expects think might be the choice:

▪ ESPN.com: SG Tyrese Maxey, Kentucky

▪ CBSSports.com: PG Tre Jones, Duke

▪ USA Today: C Aleksej Pokusevski, Serbia

▪ Sports Illustrated: C Isaiah Stewart, Washington

▪ Sporting News: PF Jalen Smith, Maryland

▪ The Ringer: PF Jalen Smith

▪ The Athletic: SG Desmond Bane, TCU

Smith has been linked to the Heat since early in the draft process and he remains a logical choice if he falls. There’s still a chance the power forward could wind up going in the lottery, though.

The Los Angeles Times also did a mock draft surveying beat writers for all 30 teams, including the Herald’s Anthony Chiang, who had Miami picking Stanford Cardinal shooting guard Tyrell Terry.

Pick or trade?

7 p.m.: At No. 20, the Heat isn’t in a position where the expectation is to grab a future superstar or All-Star player. It is, however, a place where Miami could find some additional depth and another young piece to develop.

The Heat also might just have bigger plans in mind.

The big question Wednesday: make a selection at No. 20 or trade the pick?

If Miami makes its first-round pick, a big man seems to be the most likely direction to go. Post player Meyers Leonard is a free agent and the Heat needs to find a long-term power forward or center to pair with Bam Adebayo.

Miami could also just take a best-player-available approach and try to land another sharpshooting wing or a ready-to-contribute guard.

It does seem nearly as likely the Heat trades the pick, though. Miami is still angling for bigger moves, like signing Giannis Antetokounmpo next year or trading for Bradley Beal down the road, and it might need future first-round picks to make those moves possible.

Currently, Miami can’t deal an unprotected first-round pick until 2028 because teams can’t trade first-round picks in back-to-back drafts and the Heat currently doesn’t own its 2021 or 2023 picks, and the 2023 pick has protections tying it up through 2026. Landing a future first-rounder might be necessary to making a blockbuster deal happen.