The Miami Heat have been busy loading up this offseason, but one obvious hole still lingers: point guard depth.
Miami has already made a string of additions, including Giannis Antetokounmpo and Klay Thompson, and it has also kept working the margins. Through its G-League affiliate, the Heat brought in former first-round pick Mo Bamba last week.
Earlier this week, they added young guard Bez Mbeng. On Friday afternoon, Miami also signed Ian Schieffelin to a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 contract, which looks like the club’s final move of the offseason.
That mix tells the story of where the roster is headed. Bamba comes with NBA experience and plenty of ups and downs, while Mbeng and Schieffelin are developmental pieces who have not yet proven much at this level. And even with those moves in place, there are still three available guards who fit a clear need for Miami, yet the Heat don’t appear interested.
Gabe Vincent is the most obvious name. He was a playoff standout for Miami before leaving, and at 30, he’s trying to find his way back after a rough stretch in recent seasons.
Vincent has been openly pushing for another shot with the Heat, and he even reportedly passed on a training camp deal from the New York Knicks. He also has Bam Adebayo advocating for him.
Still, Miami seems unwilling to bring him back, even though the 15th roster spot could be filled by a player the fan base would likely welcome and one of the franchise’s most important voices would support.
D’Angelo Russell is another veteran sitting out there. He is no longer the high-volume scorer he once was, but he can still give a bench unit real offense.
That matters for a team that currently lists Davion Mitchell as its only true point guard. Russell may not be the same 20-point scorer he was earlier this decade, but he still offers a level of proven production Miami could use.
Even so, the fit does not seem to be gaining traction.
Then there is Ryan Nembhard, who does not carry the same name recognition as Russell and does not have Vincent’s history with the organization. But he is 23 and would still help a group that needs more help at the position.
The obstacle is roster space. Bringing in any of those three would likely mean waiving someone first. Right now, Dru Smith is the backup behind Mitchell, and while he has flashed enough to keep things interesting, it is still unclear whether he can make a bigger leap.
So the simplest explanation may be the right one: Miami may believe it already added enough veteran pieces this summer and now wants to keep filling out the roster with younger players for Erik Spoelstra and his staff to develop. For now, that seems to be the logic behind the Heat’s reluctance to chase a veteran guard before training camp.
In Other News...
Norris Cole Is Back With The Heat In A Very Different Role
Norris Cole is back in the Heat family in a new capacity, this time on the sideline with the Sioux Falls Skyforce. The former Miami guard, who won two NBA titles during his playing career, has been hired as an assistant coach for the franchises G-League affiliate as he continues his move from player to coach.
Coles path has already taken him from the NBA to overseas basketball and then into coaching, most recently as a high school girls basketball head coach. For the Heat, it adds another familiar name to the developmental pipeline, and for Cole it is another step in a very different role than the one Miami fans remember. [Read more 🡒]
Spoelstra Is Embracing One Heat Narrative Fans Will Love
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Spoelstras message is the kind of thing fans in Miami tend to appreciate because it fits the organizations long-running chip-on-the-shoulder identity. Rather than pushing back against the narrative, he wants to use it, treating the underdog label as fuel while the Heat get set for camp. The bigger question now is how that mindset translates once the games begin and the attention shifts from the story line to the roster itself. [Read more 🡒]
Giannis Is Settling In As Heat Fans Dream Bigger Than Ever
After 13 seasons in Milwaukee, Giannis Antetokounmpo is beginning a new chapter in Miami, and the early signs around the Heat suggest both sides are treating the move as far more than a ceremonial headline. At Media Day, he spoke about settling into the new team and city, with the kind of optimism that fits a franchise trying to turn a major addition into a real championship push.
Miamis offseason did more than just bring in Giannis, either. The Heat also added Klay Thompson and Tim Hardaway Jr. in free agency, giving the roster a different look and more proven scoring around its newest star. For Heat fans, the larger question now is how quickly all of it comes together once the season starts and the expectations stop being theoretical. [Read more 🡒]