The Miami Heat have one roster spot left after Thursday’s signing of Nick Richards, and the front office now has a decision to make: keep it open or use it on another veteran.
That question comes after a busy offseason in Miami. The Heat swung one of the biggest moves of the summer by sending four players and picks to the Milwaukee Bucks for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis.
They also watched Norman Powell leave for the Chicago Bulls in free agency, then moved quickly to reshape the depth chart. Over the last week alone, Miami added Klay Thompson and Richards, brought in Tim Hardaway Jr. on a one-year deal earlier in the offseason, and got Simone Fontecchio back on a one-year deal.
If the Heat decide to use that final slot, three names stand out.
D’Angelo Russell is one possibility, though it would depend on him working out a buyout with the Memphis Grizzlies. That appears realistic.
Russell is 30 now and no longer the high-volume scorer he was earlier this decade, but he could still give Miami useful bench production. With Davion Mitchell currently the only true point guard on the roster, a veteran ballhandler who has shown he can score at a solid clip would make some sense.
Ben Simmons is the most intriguing name in the group. Earlier this summer, Simmons said he wanted to return to professional basketball after sitting out last season and mentioned the Heat as a possible destination.
He’s also 30, and his value would come from defense and playmaking. His shooting has been a problem throughout his career and was the reason the Philadelphia 76ers eventually moved on from him, but if he can still defend at a high level, there’s a role for that in the league.
Bruce Brown Jr. is the other veteran to watch. He’s built a strong reputation as a bench spark, and after winning a title in Denver in 2023, he returned to the Nuggets this past season and played in all 82 games.
Brown hit 47.5 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from three-point range. With Denver having added DeMar DeRozan, it doesn’t look like Brown is high on their list to bring back.
Even at 6-foot-4, he can handle both guard spots and small forward, and that kind of versatility matters. With Miami’s backcourt picture unsettled after trading Tyler Herro and Kasparas Jakucionis and losing Powell in free agency, Brown would give them another steady option to soak up minutes.
In Other News...
Nikola Jovic Is Forcing Heat Fans To Revisit One Big Question
Nikola Jovics summer with Team Serbia has given the Heat something to think about. He has put together a strong run in recent FIBA competition, including a 21-point outing against Iceland, and his play before that came with an eye-catching average of 27 points on 70 percent shooting. For a Miami team always looking for internal growth, that kind of offensive burst naturally has people wondering what it might mean when he gets back to South Florida.
The bigger question is whether this version of Jovic can carry over once the games get back to an NBA setting. His improved play has fueled speculation that he could earn a more meaningful role in the Heats rotation next season, but the gap between summer production and regular-season impact is always the tricky part. Miami has reason to be intrigued, even if the real answer is still waiting to be seen. [Read more 🡒]
Heat Fans Are Starting To Believe In This Offseason Plan
The Heats offseason has taken on the look of a full reset, and Nick Richards is the latest addition to a group that now looks dramatically different from the one that missed the playoffs last season. After spending time with the Bulls and Suns, the center arrives in Miami as part of a broader push that has already brought in Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Klay Thompson, giving the roster a very different feel heading into the new year.
For Miami, the bigger question is no longer whether the front office made a splash, but whether all of these moves can come together quickly enough to matter. The Heat are clearly trying to move from disappointment back into the championship conversation, and the early buzz around the plan is starting to reflect that hope, even if the real test will come once the games start and the pieces have to fit on the floor. [Read more 🡒]
Heat Lineup Questions Are Already Building Around Giannis And Bam
The Heats roster is taking shape with a very different kind of star power, and the early conversation is already turning to how all the pieces fit. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo give Miami a frontcourt pairing that would reshape just about every opponents scouting report, while Andrew Wiggins, Davion Mitchell and Klay Thompson add another layer of size, defense and shot-making around them.
What makes the picture so interesting is that the Heat are not just stacking names, they are sorting out roles. The team has a clear group of expected starters and a second tier of players whose value could swing a game depending on development and usage, which is where the real intrigue starts for Miami. With so many new parts in place, the next question is not whether the roster has talent, but how quickly the rotation settles into something coherent. [Read more 🡒]