Feb 22, 2020; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat president Pat Riley speaks during a jersey and number retirement ceremony for Dwyane Wade (not pictured) at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-Imagn Images Kim Klement-Imagn Images

NBA Draft: Miami Heat Hope To Avoid Franchise-Crippling Pick From 2015

Originally posted on Miami Heat on SI | By Sean Jordan | Last updated Jun 19, 2025 11:21 AM ET

The Miami Heat have made some incredible draft decisions over the years. All-Star talents Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo were drafted by president Pat Riley. Neither were top-10 selections but have developed into strong NBA players.

While there were plenty of hits, there have been some misses. However, none have been considered big as 2015.

Bleacher Report recently reflected on the Heat's biggest draft bust over the past decade. It concluded former Duke forward Justise Winslow was the worst pick.

"When the Miami Heat drafted Justise Winslow with the No. 10 pick in the 2015 draft, it seemed like a perfect fit," the article wrote. "Winslow was a young, athletic, versatile player with great defensive ability and a good motor. A little molding from #HeatCulture, and he'd fit in well with a Miami team built to contend. That's more or less what happened, but the issue was his offensive game never really blossomed. Because of that, Winslow was a stable rotation piece good for about 30 minutes per game, but he never became a reliable starting option during his five seasons in Miami."

While drafted as a wing, the Heat experimented playing Winslow at point guard in 2018 following an injury to Goran Dragic. Moving him to guard still did not spark a big change in his efficiency. Winslow was with the Heat for five seasons before being sent to the Memphis Grizzlies at the 2020 trade deadline.

While Winslow was viewed as the correct pick at the time, it's hard not to think about who could have been selected instead. Just three picks after Winslow, the Phoenix Suns drafted All-Star Devin Booker.

Winslow is currently with the Wisconsin Herd, the G-League affiliate of the Milwaukee Bucks.