The Boston Celtics just made a move that feels straight out of Miami’s handbook.
By taking a shot on Devin Carter, Boston went after the kind of player the Miami Heat often like to chase: a swing worth making, even if it comes with risk. But this time, the Celtics got there first. Whether Miami passed because it didn’t want the gamble, or because Carter preferred Boston, the result is the same - the Heat let a player of interest slip away.
That matters because Miami still has one roster spot open as training camp approaches, and the signs point toward patience rather than a quick fill. After passing on Carter, the Heat appear increasingly likely to keep that flexibility and use the spot later, possibly for a veteran addition in-season rather than a reclamation project now.
That approach fits the way Pat Riley has long valued veterans on contending teams, and it also lines up with the Heat’s situation as they get ready for the first year with Giannis Antetokounmpo. Miami may be holding that final roster spot for the buyout market instead of using it immediately.
If the Heat were looking for a younger upside swing, Carter looked like the obvious one. Boston was willing to take it. Miami wasn’t.
And this wasn’t the first time the Celtics have beaten the Heat to a player who had been floating around Miami speculation. Earlier in the offseason, the Heat were linked to Mike Conley Jr., but once free agency opened, Conley agreed to a deal with Boston.
Now Carter joins that list, at least from the outside looking in.
There’s no way to know for certain how serious Miami was about either player, but the overlap is hard to ignore. And if Conley or Carter end up making a real impact for the Celtics this season, the Heat will have a hard time shaking the feeling that they let opportunities pass them by.
That’s especially true with Miami’s backcourt carrying some major question marks heading into the season. If Carter turns into a useful piece for Boston, the Heat’s decision to pass could look like a costly miss.
In Other News...
Heat Face A Costly New Question After Their Giannis Gamble
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Miami would likely have to get creative to get in the mix, and Andrew Wiggins plus draft capital has been floated as the kind of framework that could at least start the conversation. Murphys rise over the past two seasons has made him far more than a throw-in target, though, and his long contract gives New Orleans leverage that could force the Heat into a steep bidding war. The bigger question now is whether Miami is willing to spend more premium assets after already making the Giannis gamble, or whether preserving what remains of the future has to matter too. [Read more 🡒]
Norman Powells Heat Exit Says Plenty About Miamis New Look
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For the Heat, his exit is another reminder that every upgrade comes with a cost, especially once the financial and roster complications start piling up after a major swing like the Giannis Antetokounmpo acquisition. Powell acknowledged that reality as part of why Miami did not bring him back, and he has already landed elsewhere on a two-year deal with the Chicago Bulls, leaving the Heat to keep sorting out the balance between talent, flexibility and the new hierarchy theyve created. [Read more 🡒]
Davion Mitchell Sees One Reason This New Heat Team Can Work
Davion Mitchell does not sound like a player trying to talk himself into a new situation. With Miami reshaping its roster around the arrival of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Mitchell pointed to the part of the team that can travel from night to night: defense. He sees a group with the pieces to make life difficult on opposing offenses, and he likes that the Heat are still early in the process of sorting out rotations and learning how everyone fits together.
Mitchell also knows his own job in that picture. As one of the key defenders on the roster, he will be asked to help set the tone, and he has already singled out rookie Ryan Conwell for his work ethic. For a team still building chemistry, those details matter as much as the headline additions, because Miami is trying to turn talent into something connected before the season gets rolling. [Read more 🡒]