Take our picks, please!
The Miami Heat have traded their way out of the first round of Thursday’s NBA draft but, in doing so, cleared more cap space by sending the 18th pick and guard Daequan Cook to Oklahoma City for the No. 32 pick in the second round.
The Heat were not enamored with the quality of players in the draft and wanted to clear cap room, a source told ESPN.com. The net result of losing Cook’s $1.36 million salary and the value of the 18th pick is $3 million.
Actually Cook’s salary for next season ($2.2 million) is what Miami is saving with this deal. But that’s not all. The #18 pick would make around $1.4 million — that’s what last year’s #18 pick, Ty Lawson, made this season — so the Heat will save a total of $3.6 million off of this year’s payroll by essentially giving Cook and the pick away.
I believe this leaves Miami with three players (Michael Beasley, James Jones and Mario Chalmers) under contract and $48 mill...
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