MIAMI — A year ago this week, the Miami Heat’s luck could not have been any worse. Or so they thought.

That’s when the Heat found themselves in a three-team tiebreaker for first-round position in last year’s draft with the Memphis Grizzlies and Milwaukee Bucks for the Nos. 18, 19 and 20 draft positions.

As is their luck in draft drawings — having never moved up on the lottery, a drawing they will return to on May 10 in Chicago — the Heat wound up at No. 20.

A total loss? Not quite. Instead, arguably a potential key to unlocking the franchise’s revival.

That No. 20 pick was turned into Kasparas Jakucionis, the guard out of Illinois who was projected to be a lottery pick, as in the rookie who finished second only to Rookie of the Year candidate Kon Knueppel in 3-point percentage among first-year players.

Amid the uncertainty of where this might head next for the Heat, there is the youthful promise of a prospect who does not turn 20 until May 29.

A player who had been expected to spend significant time in the G League instead wound up with 53 Heat appearances, including 12 starts.

And a player clearly ready for more.

“Kas surprised all of us,” coach Erik Spoelstra said as the Heat moved into their offseason. “He was very mature for his years, but he’s a diligent worker.”

And a bit two-faced . . . in a good way.

“And he is the nicest guy off the court,” Spoelstra continued. “And he is an animal on the court.”

That had Spoelstra again, as he had through the course of the season, drawing a comparison to former Heat guard Goran Dragic.

“He’s not trying to make any friends in this league,” Spoelstra said of Jakucionis. “That’s where he’s Goran-esque. The contrast on the court between the lines and his personality off the court, I love that about him, and he’ll have a great summer.”

Of which the Heat will make sure, often pouring into players between their first and second seasons to maximize their rookie-scale value.

That is, unless the opposition took notice, as well, which yet could have Jakucionis as a potential plus-one in a trade.

For now, the affable (of the court) Lithuanian is eager to show even more, with a hat tip to Dragic, who had been around Kaseya Center often enough this past season to offer a few tips.

“I used to watch him a little bit when I was younger, too,” Jakucionis said of the 39-year-old former All-Star. “So it means a lot, and when I met him for the first time he gave me a lot of advice, too. So he helped me to start this season, start getting better, and I’m just grateful for that.”

And then Jakucionis shot like Dragic, if not actually a bit better, closing at a team-best .423 from beyond the arc.

“I would say just work I put in this summer,” Jakucionis said of last summer’s work, when he bypassed playing for the Lithuanian national team at Euro Basket. “There was a lot of focus on that, on shooting. So I just worked on that, and then little by little I probably gained more confidence and started feeling better and better.”

All while staying attentive with a willing smile.

“That’s what I wanted to do, learn as much as possible,” he said of his rookie experience. “And still keep learning now, keep growing, try to listen as much as possible from the coaches, the players, and just try to dig it all in.

“Just learning and growing, I think that was the key, and that is the key for me.”

At 6 feet 5, Jakucionis offers the type of length to play either backcourt role, which could come in handy with Norman Powell an impending free agent and Tyler Herro a possible trade chip.

“Whatever Coach needs from me, I’ll do it,” Jakucionis said. “Whatever situation I’m put in, I’ll do my best in that, and I’ll just give 100%.”

And, so, soon enough back in the gym, and then likely back to summer league.

“I would say just get stronger in the weight room,” he said of upgrades sought. “And then on the ball or not the ball, just working on my handles, try to get tight in my handles, get into the paint, two feet, try to make the right read from there, get some more paint touches for sure. And off the ball, just about, like, spacing, shooting, and running, basically.”