The Heat’s interest in John Konchar is real enough that Miami has already been talking through how he might fit, and whether there’s a path to getting him into camp.
Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald reports that the team has internally discussed whether to make the free agent wing a contract offer, while also speaking with Konchar’s representatives about bringing him to training camp to compete for a roster spot against Myron Gardner. Gardner’s minimum salary is only partially guaranteed for $500K, which gives Miami some flexibility at the back end of the roster.
Konchar would be interested in the Heat’s pitch, Jackson notes, but he may be holding out for something with more security. One possible route would be a non-guaranteed deal that becomes fully guaranteed if he makes the opening night roster, similar to the contract Nick Richards signed with Miami. A source quoted by the Herald was “very skeptical” Konchar would accept that kind of arrangement, though the source didn’t completely shut the door on it.
Miami’s roster picture leaves room for maneuvering. The Heat have 11 players on guaranteed standard contracts, while Pelle Larsson is described as a lock to make the regular-season roster.
Gardner and Richards do not have fully guaranteed salaries, and the Heat still have enough space below their first-apron hard cap for a 15th player. That means the final spots could still shift before opening night, and Jackson says keeping the 15th slot open until closer to the trade deadline “holds some appeal” inside the organization.
Elsewhere in the East, Norman Powell’s comments about Miami’s offseason drew some attention, but he clarified during a recent YouTube stream that he wasn’t taking a shot at the Heat. Powell said he thought the team made “good moves” over the summer and pointed to the additions of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Klay Thompson.
“They got some dawgs,” Powell said, per Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. “Shout out my man D-Mitch (Davion Mitchell), ‘Off Night,’ and Bam (Adebayo).
They’re gonna be good. I’m excited to see how it all comes together.”
Powell has already made a strong early impression with the Bulls, and Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times says his impact has been “beyond positive already.” Cowley suggests the veteran could matter just as much for what he brings away from the floor as on it for a young Chicago group. He also reports that former No. 8 overall pick Rob Dillingham has been working out with Powell this offseason and is looking to take a step forward after two uneven NBA seasons.
In New York, Tyler Kolek is still trying to carve out a bigger role after averaging just 9.9 minutes per game across his first two seasons with the Knicks. Stefan Bondy of The New York Post reports that Kolek wants to prove this fall that he belongs in the rotation, and he says his focus is on playing with more force when his chances come.
“Early on in the (2025/26) season, I was finishing at a high level. And then later on in the year, I was getting in there, maybe I was looking a little too passive,” the third-year guard explained.
“So just looking for my shot, being more aggressive in the paint, and then that opens everything else up. Having the defense collapse, and then finding sprays for our guys.”
In Other News...
Bulls Center Search Just Got Linked To A Fascinating Rockets Situation
Alperen Sengun has already established himself as one of the more intriguing young bigs in the league, and his game has long made him a relevant name for teams looking for frontcourt help. He brings real offensive skill, but the questions around his defense and rebounding have kept him from feeling like a finished product, which is exactly the kind of profile that can catch the eye of a team in the middle of a rebuild.
For Chicago, the fit is obvious enough to linger in the background if the relationship between Sengun and Houston ever becomes strained. The Rockets center is on a long-term contract, so any path out would be complicated, but the buzz around his situation is worth watching because the Bulls have reason to keep tabs on any young talent who could alter their timeline. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Fans Can Finally See Where The New Regime Really Changed
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The more interesting part is how little has changed in the basketball operations room. While the coaching side has been reshaped, the front office and scouting group still look a lot like the previous setup, with plenty of familiar faces staying in place. For a franchise that has talked for years about needing a new direction, that contrast says plenty about where the real power shift has and has not happened. [Read more 🡒]
Taj Gibson Is Back For A Bulls Rebuild Fans Deeply Understand
Taj Gibsons next chapter keeps him right where a lot of Bulls fans always felt he belonged. After a long NBA career, he is moving onto the coaching side in Chicago as part of Tiago Splitters first staff, giving the rebuilding roster a familiar presence with deep ties to the franchise and a reputation built on steady work rather than noise.
For Bulls supporters, Gibson was never just another former player passing through town. He spent eight seasons in Chicago and became one of the most dependable figures from that era, the kind of hard-nosed forward who earned respect by showing up the same way every night. Now he returns in a new role, and the intrigue is less about nostalgia than how his experience will fit with a young team trying to find its footing. [Read more 🡒]