ASK IRA: Could Heat be part of NBA’s Mad Hatters when it comes to first-round switcheroo?

Might all not be as it appears for the Miami Heat during Wednesday night's first round of NBA draft?

Q: Just saw a photo of Kevin Love in a Memphis draft hat, which reminds me you don’t always know at the draft. –Henry.

A: Exactly. And with so much going on with the Heat, including the rule that they must exercise a pick even if they don’t play to keep the player, it could make things all the more confusing Wednesday night. Because the Heat’s 2025 first-rounder could go to the Thunder, and because teams are not allowed to be without a first-round pick in successive future drafts, the Heat must select a player somewhere in Wednesday night’s first round. Then, because of the complexities involving the salary cap, tax aprons and move to a new cap calendar on July 1, it is possible the Heat select a player Wednesday who already is part of a pre-arranged trade that, by salary-cap rule, cannot be completed until July 6. As it is, UConn guard Shabazz Napier found himself in a Hornets hat even though it was immediately known at the 2014 draft he was headed to the Heat in a pre-arranged trade.  Teams typically make known if they’re not keeping a player, but that rarely is something made known immediately in the moment.

Q: OK, Ira, the Heat say they aren’t drafting for need. Yada, Yada, Yada. We get it. But they need a lot. So if you’re in that draft room, what would you tell them that they need? – Sam.

A: An athletic backcourt presence who can at least attempt to contain opposing point guards (if even possible in today’s NBA). Yes, I know the Heat defense is the least of the concerns. But for all of the questions about the Heat’s offense, that’s why they got Terry Rozier last season, and we have yet to see how the Rozier-Tyler Herro scoring package actually meshes. As for going big, as some have emphasized, the Heat remain in the formative stages with the Nikola Jovic-Bam Adebayo combination. So are we simply moving on from there? But with Caleb Martin and Haywood Highsmith on the cusp of free agency, wing defense is a question mark. Of course, with the Heat insistence about selecting the best available player, it makes any such debate moot.

Q: Big fan of Jamal Shead.  Seems like a Heat type of player, too. – Jeremy.

A: Let’s keep this thing rolling and then hope for a Heat shot in Thursday’s second round.