The Miami Heat quietly made a meaningful roster call, and it keeps Vlad Goldin in the picture.
After the deadline to pull back his two-way qualifying offer passed on July 13, the Heat elected to leave that offer in place. At minimum, that means Goldin is set to return to Miami on a two-way deal.
There’s also a path where that role turns into something more. Goldin could end up with a real chance to serve as a backup big this season, particularly if Miami doesn’t bring in another center before training camp opens. The Heat brought him in last season after he went undrafted in the 2025 NBA Draft, and he did enough to remain with the team all year.
Goldin can’t take a two-way contract from another team, but he could be offered a standard deal elsewhere. If that happens and he gives Miami the chance to respond, the Heat would have to match or let him walk.
For now, though, everything points to Goldin staying put on a two-way arrangement.
His summer work has only helped that case. In two games at the California Classic Summer League, Goldin posted averages of 10 points, seven rebounds and three blocks. Across three games in the Las Vegas Summer League, he’s putting up eight points, six rebounds and two blocks per game.
He hasn’t exactly taken over the gym, but he has put together enough solid stretches to keep Miami interested. The Heat clearly still see him as a developmental piece worth holding onto.
Whether that eventually translates into a legitimate backup center job this season is still unresolved. But the fact that he’s been with the organization for more than a year says plenty about how the team values him.
And the appeal is obvious enough. Goldin is a true 7-footer, and that kind of size is something Miami doesn’t have anywhere else on the roster. In a league that keeps leaning bigger and bigger in certain spots, that matters.
So for now, Goldin appears headed for another year with the Heat on a two-way deal. If that holds, he’ll join Tre Donaldson as Miami’s other player on such a contract. The Heat also still have room to add another two-way player later in the season.
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