Second-Round Pick Could Play Vital Role for New-Look Heat

Now armed with two-time MVP and champion Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Miami Heat are looking to make a splash in the Eastern Conference and NBA at large. Though a second-round pick from the 2026 NBA Draft could be a sneakily vital piece to their contending puzzle.

The Heat have long sought after a superstar to bring them back into contention following the Jimmy Butler era, but have rarely pulled the trigger on league-altering deals. They finally did ahead of the ’26 draft, sending out picks and players to nab Antetokounmpo from the Bucks.

The former champ and Bam Adebayo are the high points of the roster, but the team has also made some moves around the fringes in adding Tim Hardaway Jr., Klay Thompson and more. One such move was the drafting of Ryan Conwell in the second round of the ’26 draft.

At first glance, Conwell was a solid value selection for Miami, who desperately needs some guard help given the now top-heavy nature of the roster. A deeper look spells out that Conwell could be exactly what Miami needs next season.

Conwell played four collegiate seasons with four different teams, starting out at South Florida before moving on to Indiana State, Xavier and finally Louisville. Following his freshman season, he was a flamethrower from beyond the arc at each stop, shooting 833 total 3-pointers at an elite 38% clip.

In his final season alone, Conwell shot a blistering 9.6 triples per game, astounding volume shooting for a top scoring prospect. He ended up averaging 18.8 points per game on the season to go along with 4.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.1 steals.

With a lack of real spacing between Antetokounmpo and Adebayo, 3-point shooting is a desperate need. Hence the additions of Hardaway and Thompson. Though Conwell could sneak his way into a vitally important role for the Heat. He has experience, a proven blistering shot, can slide in between both backcourt positions and can add ancillary production with rebounding.

Already Conwell has shown his affinity for pro production. Across four Summer League games spanning the California Classic and Las Vegas Summer League, he averaged 20.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists.

There's no guarantee Conwell will put up the stats necessary to bring home hardware or make All-Rookie teams, especially seeing as the Heat are in contention mode and might not have ample time for rookie opportunities. But there is a chance that Conwell can work his way into Miami's rotation next season, hitting threes, handling the ball in moderation and playing stingy defense.

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