The Miami Heat’s backcourt picture just got a little more interesting.
D’Angelo Russell is suddenly on the market after being waived by the Memphis Grizzlies, and that gives Miami a veteran playmaker to consider if it wants more insurance behind Davion Mitchell before training camp opens. The fit is obvious enough on paper: Russell can still run an offense, he’s proven he can create for others, and he could give the Heat a steadier presence in a reserve role.
That’s the appeal. The question is whether Miami actually feels the need.
Russell is not the same player he once was, but he remains a reliable passer. Last season with the Dallas Mavericks, he played 26 games and logged 19 minutes per contest, yet still averaged four assists a night.
Over the course of his career, he’s been a six-assist-per-game player. That level of production would be too much to expect now, but it does point to the kind of help he could provide if the Heat want another organizer off the bench.
The concern, as always, is defense. Russell has those issues, but Miami could try to hide some of them with the group around him. In Erik Spoelstra’s system, there may be enough structure to carve out a role for him, especially with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo beside him making life easier.
Still, the Heat’s actions so far this offseason suggest they may already be comfortable with Mitchell, along with Dru Smith. They haven’t rushed to add to the backcourt, which makes this decision more revealing than it might seem.
If Miami passes on Russell, that points to real trust in Mitchell as the main playmaker. If it moves quickly, then the message is different: the Heat want extra cover.
That’s the crux of it. Miami can keep its roster flexible and stand pat, or it can decide that playmaking matters more and bring in a veteran who looks like a reasonable fit. Russell is 30, he has name value, and he’s the kind of player who likely won’t be available for long.
So the next few days should tell the story. If the Heat make a move, it says they want more security in the backcourt. If they don’t, it says they’re betting Mitchell is enough.
In Other News...
Heat Championship Hopes Suddenly Rest On One Huge Spoelstra Call
The Heat spent the offseason loading up around the margins and then some, adding Giannis Antetokounmpo, Klay Thompson, Tim Hardaway Jr. and drafting Ryan Conwell to a roster that already has pieces Spoelstra can mix and match. Miamis path back into the top tier of the Eastern Conference now looks less like a simple star-driven ascent and more like a coachs puzzle, with lineups that could feature those newcomers alongside returning contributors such as Davion Mitchell and Andrew Wiggins.
For Spoelstra, the real challenge is figuring out which combinations maximize the Heats defensive edge without shortchanging the shooting that is supposed to make the whole thing work. In a conference stuffed with talent, Miamis championship hopes may come down to whether its coach can keep enough spacing around its stars while still preserving the identity that has long made the Heat dangerous in the spring. [Read more 🡒]
Heat Still Have A Roster Question Fans Will Want Answered
The Heat have been busy adding depth through the margins, bringing in players such as Mo Bamba and Bez Mbeng via their G-League affiliate and waiver claims as they continue to round out the roster around a veteran core. It is the kind of low-profile work that can matter later, especially for a team that always has to balance present-tense contention with the need to keep a little younger talent in the pipeline.
One name that now fits that conversation is Johni Broome, the former Auburn standout and 2025 second-round pick who was recently waived by the Clippers. Miami could view him as a possible source of youthful interior help behind its established bigs, but for now the question is simply whether the Heat decide to make room for another developmental piece or keep looking elsewhere for that last bit of frontcourt depth. [Read more 🡒]
Heat Just Got A Painful LeBron Reminder About The East
LeBron James passing on Miami for Philadelphia is the kind of offseason turn that still stings around South Florida, especially when it comes with a reminder of how aggressively the East can shift in a single move. James reportedly leaned into his relationship with guard Tyrese Maxey and the Sixers recent addition of Jaylen Brown, a splashy trade that instantly changed the look of the conference race.
For the Heat, the larger issue is the same one that has hovered over them for years: the East does not sit still, and the teams at the top keep finding new ways to load up. Brown is coming off an MVP-caliber season after being dealt from Boston, and Philadelphia now has James expected to run point alongside Maxey with the goal of helping Joel Embiid get back to the Eastern Conference Finals. [Read more 🡒]