The Miami Heat’s pursuit of Ryan Conwell apparently carried an added incentive: keeping him away from the Boston Celtics.
Five Reasons Sports Network’s Ethan Skolnick reported that Boston wanted to select Conwell during the second round of the 2026 NBA draft. That interest helped drive up the price for Miami, which paid the Oklahoma City Thunder $1.5 million to move from No. 41 to No. 37 and secure the Louisville guard.
“They wanted to draft Ryan Conwell,” Skolnick said on the “Heat Collective” podcast. “That cost Micky a million five.”
Neither Miami nor Boston has publicly confirmed the Celtics’ interest. But the draft order explains the Heat’s urgency. Boston held the 40th pick, placing it directly ahead of Miami’s original selection.
Waiting was a risk Heat president Pat Riley and owner Micky Arison were unwilling to take.
Why Miami Moved Up for Ryan Conwell
Conwell arrived in Miami with the profile of an experienced college scorer who could compete for a role sooner than the typical second-round project.
The 6-foot-4 left-handed guard averaged 18.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.1 steals during his senior season at Louisville. He shot only 34.5% from 3-point range, but his overall college record suggests that decline was an exception rather than a warning.
Conwell connected on 40.7% of his 3-pointers at Indiana State while averaging 16.6 points and 5.8 rebounds. He then averaged 16.5 points at Xavier and earned third-team All-Big East honors.
Miami needed shooting after sending Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel’el Ware and Kasparas Jakučionis to Milwaukee in the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade. Conwell’s strength, deep shooting range and ability to operate without monopolizing the ball made him an attractive fit beside Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo.
Skolnick predicted Conwell would become a contributor, exactly the type of developmental victory Miami has built its reputation around.
Heat Beat Celtics to Another Target
The Conwell revelation adds another chapter to Miami’s eventful offseason competition with Boston.
The Heat and Celtics were the two finalists for Antetokounmpo, with Boston reportedly constructing an offer around Jaylen Brown. Milwaukee instead accepted Miami’s package, sending Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis to the Heat.
Boston later traded Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Within roughly 48 hours, Miami beat Boston to a two-time MVP and then moved ahead of the Celtics to select Conwell.
The Celtics pivoted at No. 40 and drafted St. John’s forward Dillon Mitchell, an athletic defender with a limited perimeter game. Mitchell could become a useful rotation player, but he offered a vastly different skill set from the shooter Boston reportedly coveted.
Second-round draft decisions rarely produce immediate verdicts. Conwell still must prove his scoring can translate against NBA length and athleticism.
The $1.5 million investment nevertheless revealed Miami’s conviction. The Heat saw a player they wanted, recognized a familiar rival lurking three picks later and refused to leave the outcome to chance.
After winning the summer’s biggest transaction, Miami apparently made sure Boston did not win this smaller one, either.
Heat’s $1.5 Million Move Blocked Celtics From Landing Rising Guard