The Miami Heat spent the offseason reshaping their roster, and one of the quieter moves may end up carrying more trade value than it first looked like. Veteran center Nick Richards, signed in August to a non-guaranteed deal, is already being viewed as a possible chip if the Heat decide they have a different frontcourt pecking order.
Richards has long been one of those players people expected to break through without quite getting there. Even so, he has remained a reliable rebounder off the bench throughout his career, which is exactly the kind of skill set that can draw attention if a team suddenly needs depth.
Miami’s frontcourt got more crowded when it also brought in Bobby Portis as part of the blockbuster deal with Milwaukee earlier this summer, and Vladislav Goldin is another name who could play well enough to push Richards down the ladder. Still, Richards has the kind of experience that could help him win the backup job before the regular season even begins.
That matters because another team in the East may soon be searching for help at the same spot. The Philadelphia 76ers added former New York Knicks center Ariel Hukporti this offseason, but the 24-year-old suffered an Achilles injury that will keep him out indefinitely, if not for the entire season.
With Joel Embiid expected to miss plenty of regular-season games, Philadelphia needs someone behind him. Adem Bona, the 76ers’ 2024 second-round pick out of UCLA, is on the roster, but he has not shown enough consistency to be viewed as the top answer.
If Richards is still standing after camp and makes Miami’s regular-season roster, he could fit what Philadelphia needs. But the timeline is the catch.
Because he signed recently, NBA collective bargaining rules would keep him from being traded until December 15, or until three months after the signing date. There’s also the possibility that Miami decides Portis is the better backup hybrid power forward-center option and waives Richards instead.
For now, the idea is simple: if the 76ers are still searching for a backup center by the end of the year, Richards could be one of the cleaner fits available. It just won’t happen quickly.
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