The Miami Heat may have a clean opening to revisit a name they were already circling: Dalton Knecht.
Knecht has now been waived by the Los Angeles Lakers, putting the former first-round pick on the market after a start to his NBA career that never really took hold. Miami had been connected to him before when there were whispers about the team exploring Andrew Wiggins’ trade market, and that earlier interest could matter again now that Knecht is available.
Selected 17th overall by the Lakers in the 2024 NBA Draft, Knecht leaves Los Angeles after two seasons without settling into a defined role. He flashed at times and remained a proven 3-point shooter, but the fit never fully came together. For both sides, a fresh start seems to make sense.
That brings the Heat into the picture.
Miami still has its 15th and final roster spot open, and Knecht could fit the kind of swing the franchise has been willing to make in the past. He checks the boxes of a reclamation target: a high draft pick who never got fully developed, a shooter with a clear NBA skill, and a player with enough unanswered questions to make him available in the first place.
There are obvious concerns, too. His defense remains a question, and so does whether he has the athleticism to carve out a steady role in a rotation. But those are the sorts of bets the Heat have shown a willingness to consider before.
The Duncan Robinson comparison naturally comes into view here. There are similarities in the way Miami might look at a player like Knecht, especially if the team believes its developmental structure can unlock more from his shooting. Given the current shape of the roster, taking a flyer on that skill set could make sense.
At minimum, it is a discussion Miami should be having. If the team’s reported interest in him last season was real, then the idea of bringing him in now is hardly far-fetched.
A lot has changed since those early whispers, but the core question remains the same: does Miami believe enough in its system to bet on a player like Knecht? If it does, he may be the most intriguing option sitting right there for that final roster spot as the regular season nears.
In Other News...
Heat Just Got The Kind Of Doubt Spoelstra Usually Punishes
The Heat spent the offseason adding a top player, the kind of move that usually changes the tone around a team immediately. Still, an NBA GM survey slotted Miami eighth in the Eastern Conference, and not a single executive put the Heat in the top two. For a franchise that has built a lot of its reputation on outworking expectations, it is a familiar kind of doubt.
Erik Spoelstra has spent years turning less talented rosters into something harder to dismiss, which is why the skepticism around this group feels more like a challenge than a verdict. The question now is whether the new look can live up to the talent on paper and force the league to rethink where Miami belongs once the season starts. [Read more 🡒]
Heat Opening Night Rotation Could Say Everything About Dru Smith
Dru Smiths status for opening night is one of the quieter but more revealing questions hanging over Miamis start to the season. He is still dealing with injury uncertainty, and with Erik Spoelstra still sorting out his rotation, the way the Heat handle the backcourt could tell you a lot about how they view Smith going forward. It also comes at a time when the competition around him is growing, especially at point guard.
Ryan Conwell and Pelle Larsson have both put together strong preseason stretches in that spot, giving Spoelstra more options and less reason to force anything if Smith is not ready. With a team option on Smith for next season, this is a meaningful year for his place in Miamis plans, and the early rotation decisions may end up offering the clearest hint yet about whether he is part of the long-term picture. [Read more 🡒]
Heat Still Have One Late Roster Decision To Make
With the roster cut deadline approaching, the Heat still have one more decision to sort through as they take a final look at ways to reinforce the end of the bench. Miami is expected to keep exploring the waiver market, where recently let-go players around the league can become available at just the right moment for a team still weighing depth and fit.
Among the names floating around are Kenyon Martin Jr., Ochai Agbaji and Gabe Vincent, each offering a different kind of appeal if the Heat decide to make a move. Nothing has been reported officially yet, and for now the picture remains fluid, which leaves Miami with a familiar late-summer choice: stay patient with what it has, or use the moment to add another layer of insurance before the deadline passes. [Read more 🡒]