The Bulls had a straightforward offseason decision to make in the middle of their center rotation, and Nick Richards ended up being the odd man out.
Chicago moved on from Nikola Vucevic at the trade deadline, then watched both Richards and Zach Collins reach free agency. Rather than bring Richards back, the Bulls traded for veteran center Nic Claxton and also re-signed Collins on a deal that gives them an easy exit as soon as the trade deadline if he doesn’t provide value. That left Richards, after 20 uneven games in Chicago, back on the market.
For the Bulls, the fit never really lined up. Richards averaged 9.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 0.4 assists while shooting 52.3% from the field in his time with the team last season, but Claxton’s arrival gave Chicago a higher baseline in the middle and made a reunion unnecessary.
Miami, though, saw something different.
Richards signed a one-year, $3 million deal with the Heat, and if he stays healthy in 2026-27, that modest contract could wind up mattering a lot more than it looks on paper. The Heat are now a legitimate contender with Giannis Antetokounmpo in the fold, and Richards gives them a chance to patch one of the thin spots on the roster.
That need is real. Miami gave up Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel'el Ware, and Kasparas Jakucionis in the deal for Antetokounmpo, and that left Bobby Portis as the lone center depth behind Bam Adebayo. Portis, listed at 6'9", has enough defensive upside to handle limited minutes at center, but that’s hardly a clean answer for a team with championship hopes.
Richards isn’t a perfect solution either. He doesn’t stretch the floor, he isn’t a major offensive weapon, and injuries have interrupted just about every season of his NBA career.
But modern contenders still need someone who can rebound, run the floor, and survive the minutes that matter. Teams like the New York Knicks with Mitchell Robinson and the Oklahoma City Thunder with Isaiah Hartenstein and Kenrich Williams showed how much value that kind of frontcourt presence can carry on a title run.
Miami has enough shooting around him, with Klay Thompson, Pelle Larsson, and Simone Fontecchio coming off the bench, to make Richards’ role more workable. If the Heat can maximize his shot-blocking inside their defensive structure, he could end up looking like a stronger defender than he has in recent seasons.
There’s risk here, of course. If Richards isn’t available when the postseason arrives, the signing won’t matter much.
But if Miami wants a real shot at a championship run, it will probably need him. And because the Heat are so short on big man depth, Richards could end up having a sneaky influence on how they stack up against Eastern Conference rivals like the Philadelphia 76ers and the Knicks in 2026-27.
Chicago won’t lose sleep over letting him go. Miami might be thankful it happened.
In Other News...
Bulls Fans Got Another Reason To Love This Offseason
Norman Powells arrival already gave Bulls fans something to like about this offseason, and the fit only looks better when you stack it against the rest of the leagues moves. Chicago brought in Nic Claxton, Caleb Wilson, Dailyn Swain and Powell while staying disciplined on the market, and the front office avoided getting drawn into a bidding war for Walker Kessler when the price climbed past what it wanted to pay.
Powell also arrives with a little edge, which tends to play well in Chicago. The veteran guard did not exactly soften his view of the Lakers, and with Los Angeles making splashy additions of its own, the contrast between the two teams summers has become part of the conversation. For Bulls fans, the bigger takeaway is that Chicago appears to have added depth and scoring without giving up flexibility, and Powells contract structure should make the move look even smarter if the fit comes together on the floor. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Fans Will Love Why Caleb Wilson Has Everyone Talking Again
Caleb Wilson has already given Bulls fans a reason to keep an eye on the calendar. The No. 4 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft has been staying busy since hearing his name called, popping up at basketball events and even joining an alumni game with former Tar Heels, which only adds to the sense that the rookie is wasting no time settling into life after college.
The latest buzz around Wilson came from a sighting near the University of North Carolina, where he was reportedly playing basketball at a fraternity house and drawing attention again. With his NBA debut expected in October, every new glimpse of Wilson on a court seems to fuel the anticipation a little more, and Bulls supporters are clearly going to be watching closely to see how all that offseason momentum carries into Chicago. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls' Kuminga Miss Reveals A Bigger Plan For Their Young Wings
The Bulls spent part of the offseason poking around the restricted free-agent market, with Bennedict Mathurin and Jonathan Kuminga both drawing their attention before Chicago moved on without landing either wing. Mathurin ended up with the New Orleans Pelicans, while Kuminga settled on a two-year deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves, closing out a pursuit that suggested the Bulls were still searching for more size and playmaking on the perimeter.
Chicagos interest in Kuminga was real, but the fit never got far enough to make him feel like a centerpiece right away. Minnesota came at him with a path that looked clearer from the start, while the Bulls kept their options open as they weighed how much responsibility to hand over to another young wing. For a team trying to sort out its long-term rotation, that kind of decision says as much about where the Bulls are headed as it does about the players they missed. [Read more 🡒]