With roster cuts hitting around the league, the Miami Heat still have a window to pick up help before the regular season tips off Wednesday against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Miami already trimmed a few young players on Saturday, and the team has until Monday evening to get down to the 15-man standard contract limit. Even if another move before Wednesday feels unlikely, there are still useful names floating around after the latest wave of waivers.
Three players stand out as possible fits for Pat Riley and the Heat: a former Heat guard who knows the system, plus two recently waived wings and forwards who could give Miami some immediate depth.
Kenyon Martin Jr. is one option. The 25-year-old was waived by Minnesota after the preseason wrapped up, and while he has bounced around in recent seasons, he brings a real presence at power forward.
That matters for Miami because Nikola Jovic is currently the backup at the position, and after the Serbian disappointed last season following his lucrative contract extension, he may be on a short leash. Martin would give the Heat another body there, and maybe another option worth testing.
Ochai Agbaji is another player who just became available after New York let him go. The 26-year-old was part of the Knicks’ offseason group of veterans on training camp deals, alongside players like James Wiseman and Bruce Brown, but Wiseman was the one who earned the standard roster spot.
Agbaji’s last season with Toronto came with rough shooting numbers, and he was moved to the Nets at the trade deadline. Brooklyn is rebuilding and still did not see him as part of its future, but Riley could still see something there.
With Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Norman Powell gone from the team as well, Agbaji could step into a real role quickly, even if it’s only as the 15th man.
Then there’s Gabe Vincent, the most familiar name of the bunch. Vincent most recently played with Atlanta at the end of last season, but unlike the other two he hasn’t been waived recently; he’s been sitting in unrestricted free agency all offseason.
Miami could use another guard behind projected starter Davion Mitchell, especially with Dru Smith’s recent injury. Vincent already knows Erik Spoelstra’s system, so he would likely need less time than most to get comfortable if the Heat decide to make the call.
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Heat Just Got The Kind Of Doubt Spoelstra Usually Punishes
The Heat spent the offseason adding a top player, the kind of move that usually changes the tone around a team immediately. Still, an NBA GM survey slotted Miami eighth in the Eastern Conference, and not a single executive put the Heat in the top two. For a franchise that has built a lot of its reputation on outworking expectations, it is a familiar kind of doubt.
Erik Spoelstra has spent years turning less talented rosters into something harder to dismiss, which is why the skepticism around this group feels more like a challenge than a verdict. The question now is whether the new look can live up to the talent on paper and force the league to rethink where Miami belongs once the season starts. [Read more 🡒]
Heat Opening Night Rotation Could Say Everything About Dru Smith
Dru Smiths status for opening night is one of the quieter but more revealing questions hanging over Miamis start to the season. He is still dealing with injury uncertainty, and with Erik Spoelstra still sorting out his rotation, the way the Heat handle the backcourt could tell you a lot about how they view Smith going forward. It also comes at a time when the competition around him is growing, especially at point guard.
Ryan Conwell and Pelle Larsson have both put together strong preseason stretches in that spot, giving Spoelstra more options and less reason to force anything if Smith is not ready. With a team option on Smith for next season, this is a meaningful year for his place in Miamis plans, and the early rotation decisions may end up offering the clearest hint yet about whether he is part of the long-term picture. [Read more 🡒]
Heat Need Davion Mitchell To Hold One Spot Together
Since arriving in Miami, Davion Mitchell has given the Heat exactly the kind of jolt they were hoping for on the defensive end, and he has quietly added enough on offense to make himself more than just a specialist. His three-point shooting has climbed to a level that has made him a much more useful fit in the rotation, and that matters for a team that needs stability from the guard spot every night.
The bigger issue for Miami is less about Mitchells production than how much the group is leaning on him to keep the point guard spot afloat. Behind him, the options are thin, with Dru Smith offering defense but not much in the way of scoring punch, so the Heat have to keep getting dependable initiation from Mitchell to help carry the offense when Giannis Antetokounmpo is off the floor. [Read more 🡒]