LaMelo will go with top pick

Heat aim to select supporting piece at 20

When it comes to the NBA’s order of operations, the higher math continues to perplex.

So again, as always, unlike the NFL, it will be draft first, followed by freeagency, inthis case theNBA draft onWednesday, the start of free agency at 6 p.m. on Friday.

That will only heighten the uncertainty of direction for the Heat, facing later in the week the potential free-agency losses of Goran Dragic, Jae Crowder and Derrick Jones Jr. among others.

“At this point, we have the 20th pick,” saidAdamSimon, theHeat’s assistant general manager who is chargedwithoverseeing the team’s draft. “We feel good about the players thatwe’ve studied and our board. I think we can find a good player.”

The question, though, is whetheritwillhavetobeareplace

BRADPENNER/ USATODAYSPORTS CommissionerAdamSilveron Wednesday night again will preside over theNBAdraft.