Nick Richards has done enough in Miami to turn a training-camp audition into a guaranteed roster spot.
The Heat moved to trim their roster to the 15-player standard contract limit by Monday evening, and Richards made the cut after signing a non-guaranteed deal in August. He’ll earn $3 million on the minimum-salary contract, with Miami carrying a cap hit of $2.45 million.
That outcome matters for a frontcourt that had been thinned out and then reshaped by a wild offseason. Miami’s biggest swing was landing two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo in one of the largest blockbuster deals of the decade so far, and the team kept adding veteran help after that. Richards was brought in specifically to stabilize the center spot and give the Heat rebounding support.
The 28-year-old has long been viewed as a player who might take another step, but that breakout never quite arrived. What he has consistently provided, though, is work on the glass off the bench. That skill set showed up again in camp, and it was enough to secure him a place on the opening roster.
The competition for that backup center role wasn’t exactly empty. Miami also brought in Bobby Portis in the Milwaukee trade, and Portis has logged center minutes before.
Vladislav Goldin has also been pushing publicly for a standard roster spot. If Goldin performs well in his appearances, Richards could become a trade candidate later on since he’s on an expiring deal.
For now, though, his experience and camp play won the day.
Miami’s rebounding numbers from last season show why this matters. The Heat finished fourth in the NBA at 46.3 rebounds per game and posted a 49.9 percent total rebounding percentage. Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Norman Powell each averaged more than three rebounds a night, but all three are gone now - Ware and Jaquez went to Milwaukee in the Antetokounmpo deal, and Powell signed with the Chicago Bulls in free agency.
That leaves a gap on the boards, but it also gives Richards a real path to minutes. With Antetokounmpo, Portis and Richards now in the mix, Miami could again find itself among the league’s best rebounding teams.
Richards gave a clean reminder of what he can bring in the final preseason game, nearly posting a double-double with nine points, 11 rebounds and three assists in 18 minutes. He even knocked down a three-pointer.
Outside of Goldin on a two-way deal and a few minutes for Portis, there isn’t much frontcourt competition behind the starters. If Miami chooses to be careful with its stars early in the year, Richards could be looking at 15-17 minutes a night. The Heat open the season Wednesday evening at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
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