Report: Heat Motivated to Make NBA Playoffs in Order to Convey Draft Pick to Thunder

The Miami Heat reportedly have some added, draft-related incentive to reach the playoffs this season.

According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, the Heat's 2025 first-round pick is lottery-protected, meaning they will keep it if they fail to reach the playoffs. However, if Miami makes the postseason, the pick will convey to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Heat reportedly prefer for the Thunder to get their 2025 non-lottery first-rounder since the pick becomes fully unprotected in 2026 if it is not conveyed this year.

That means even if the Heat were to miss the playoffs and win the lottery for the No. 1 overall pick next year, the selection would go to OKC.

The Heat are currently ninth in the Eastern Conference with a 21-22 record, and they hold a comfortable five-game lead over the 11th-place Philadelphia 76ers for a spot in the postseason play-in tournament.

However, Miami is 1.5 games behind the sixth-place Detroit Pistons, which is ideally the spot the Heat would like to reach.

The top six teams in the East are automatically in the playoffs, whereas the Nos. 7 through 10 seeds must make it through the play-in to qualify.

Miami is a perennial playoff team, having made five consecutive postseason appearances, but it has been a roller coaster of a season.

While Tyler Herro is enjoying a breakout season with a career-high 24.0 points per game, three-time All-Star center Bam Adebayo has taken a step back, as he is shooting a career-worst 45.4 percent from the field and his 15.5 points per game represent his lowest scoring output since the 2018-19 season.

Most notably, the Heat have had some significant issues with veteran star Jimmy Butler, who is in the midst of his second suspension of the season.

Earlier this month, the Heat suspended Butler seven games for "multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team," on the heels of him intimating to the media that he wanted to be traded.

As part of the suspension announcement, the Heat noted that they would listen to trade offers for the six-time All-Star.

Then, this week, the Heat announced an additional two-game suspension after Butler missed a team flight.

Trading Butler would perhaps weaken the Heat's chances of making the playoffs this season, but given that he could opt out of his contract and become a free agent during the offseason anyway, it is likely in Miami's best interest to move him.

Even without Butler, the Heat have a deep and talented roster capable of at least reaching the playoffs, which would allow them to prevent the Thunder from taking their 2026 first-rounder.