Detroit Pistons: Why the Heat and Nuggets never tank

Detroit Pistons: Why the Heat and Nuggets never tank

Nailing the Draft no matter what

Since the Heat drafted Dwyane Wade with the 5th pick in the 2003 NBA Draft (sigh), they have chosen in the lottery exactly four times, selecting Michael Beasley, Justice Winslow, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro.

Beasley went 2nd, but other than that, all of these guys were 10 or lower. The Pistons have been in the lottery nine times in that span and all of their picks but one were in the top-10. This first shows how reckless the Pistons have been with their 1st-round picks, as a team that hasn’t won a playoff game since 2008 should have had more lottery picks.

The highest drafted player on the Heat right now is Cody Zeller, who was drafted 4th by the Bobcats.

The Nuggets have only been in the lottery four times since 2003, with just two of those picks coming in the top 10.

Wait, I thought the only way to build a team was to select in the top-5 for multiple years? The Nuggets’ highest pick is Jamal Murray, who went 7th, same spot where the Pistons landed Killian Hayes.

Both the Heat and Nuggets have made savvy moves in free agency and trades, but they have also both drafted extremely well no matter where they were. Yes, they have both missed on some picks (every team does) but they have regularly found good players with later picks.

The Heat nailed their late lottery picks with Adebayo and Herro but also found guys like Precious Achiuwa and Josh Richardson later in the draft as well as a trio of undrafted players in Max Strus, Gabe Vincent and Duncan Robinson who are currently contributing to their playoff run in big ways.

You may not be able to get your superstar late in the draft, but you can find good role players that fit your system, which is what Miami has done.

The Nuggets did find their superstar in the second round of the draft, as every team missed out on two-time MVP Nikola Jokic, who is the best player in the world right now and was taken with the 41st pick.

Their only top-5 pick is Aaron Gordon, who was selected by the Magic. Other than that, the Nuggets have cobbled together a team out of later lottery picks, second rounders and role players they got in free agency or trades.

Having a top-5 pick helps and I am sure these two teams wish they had them some years, but it’s more important to identify talent no matter where you draft and to find the right guys to fit your culture, coach and system, which both Miami and Denver have done brilliantly.

The Detroit Pistons have not only missed on tons of picks, but have been terrible at finding talent outside of the draft and the quality role players they have drafted seem to always end up on other teams, as we are currently seeing with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Bruce Brown on the Nuggets.