The Miami Heat still have one roster spot open, and they do not sound eager to rush the decision. With Giannis Antetokounmpo and Klay Thompson already in place, Miami can either patch that final opening now or leave it open and revisit the market later in the season.
For the moment, the Heat have been circling guard options. Heavy.com’s Sean Deveney said Miami has looked at veteran backups Gabe Vincent and Cam Payne, but the team would prefer more upside than that kind of stopgap. Still, Deveney noted, “They do need a placeholder for that spot, though,".
A bigger swing could come closer to the trade deadline, when more prominent names may surface. USA Today’s Wajih AlBaroudi pointed to Kyrie Irving as a possible target for Miami, arguing that the Heat need exactly the kind of perimeter scoring he provides after bringing in Antetokounmpo.
“While Davion Mitchell is a much better defender than Irving, he isn't nearly the go-to perimeter scoring threat Irving is, and that's exactly what Miami needs after trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Age would become a concern for Miami if it started both Irving and 36-year-old Klay Thompson, however,” AlBaroudi wrote.
Irving’s future remains a topic around the league, and The Stein Line’s Marc Stein said rival teams are already wondering how long Dallas will hold its line on trade interest as Feb. 11 approaches. Stein wrote that the Mavericks have “consistently swatted away trade interest this offseason in nine-times-an-All-Star guard Kyrie Irving,” but added that questions persist because Irving is 34 and Mavericks star forward Cooper Flagg is 19.
That kind of uncertainty is exactly why Miami is being mentioned as a possible landing spot. If the Heat can land Irving, they would add another player with championship experience and a track record of making every team he joins better.
Miami has already spent the summer chasing some of the biggest names in the league, and Irving would fit that same aggressive approach.
In Other News...
Heat Still Face One Roster Decision That Could Matter Early
The Heat have spent the early part of camp sorting out a backcourt picture that still looks unsettled around the margins. Davion Mitchell, Dru Smith and Tre Donaldson are part of the point guard mix, but Miami is also weighing whether it needs one more experienced hand, especially if the goal is to balance defense, ball handling and a little more reliability behind the starters.
One option under consideration is a reunion with former All-Star Victor Oladipo, whose on-ball skill set still carries obvious appeal even with the injury concerns that have followed him in recent years. Miami has reached the minimum roster count already, but leaving a spot open remains on the table if the front office wants flexibility for a trade or buyout target once the season gets rolling. [Read more 🡒]
Heat Roster Spot Suddenly Puts Myron Gardner Under Real Pressure
The Heats roster picture is getting tighter, and Myron Gardner is one of the players who could feel it first. Miamis reported interest in free agent guard-forward John Konchar adds another layer to a spot that already looked unsettled, especially with Gardner working on a partially guaranteed contract and trying to hold onto a place in a system he already knows.
Konchar brings NBA experience, but his injury history is part of the calculation, which leaves Miami weighing reliability against familiarity and upside. Gardner has the age edge and the comfort of being in-house, while Konchar would arrive with a different rsum and a more proven track record. A decision on the spot is expected soon, and Gardners situation now looks like one of the more interesting camp battles on the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Heat Bench Debate Is Heating Up Around One Key Award Race
The Heats offseason makeover has already created an interesting subplot on the bench, where Tim Hardaway Jr. and Pelle Larsson are both positioned to play meaningful roles as reserve options. Hardaway brings the kind of shooting that fits cleanly next to dominant scorers, while Larssons versatility gives Miami another useful piece in a rotation that should lean heavily on depth.
In a Sixth Man of the Year race, though, sharing the spotlight can be its own complication. Miami could wind up with two legitimate candidates from the same roster, which creates the possibility of vote splitting, even if both players are good enough to make a strong case on their own. For a team that just reshaped its outlook around Giannis Antetokounmpo, the bigger question may be whether the bench production is strong enough to matter, not just who gets the credit for it. [Read more 🡒]