Slight Pelicans Edge

Miami received 2010 second-round pick (#41-Jarvis Varnado); 2012 second-round pick (#34-Jae Crowder) and sent rights to Marcus Thornton in the 2009-06-25 transaction with New Orleans Pelicans. Marcus Thornton developed into a productive NBA scorer, while Miami's two second-round returns did not generate comparable direct Heat value. The grade is based on realized NBA production, draft conversion, contract/cap consequences and identifiable downstream use rather than the reputation of the assets at the moment of the deal. Miami still receives a C grade because the return was not valueless, but the stronger counterpart return earned a B+ in hindsight. The directional verdict therefore reflects a real value gap without assuming that every later development or injury outcome was foreseeable when the transaction occurred.