The Miami Heat’s trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo is only two months old, but the roster math has already shifted again. Bobby Portis Jr. is now trade-eligible, and that gives Miami a real decision: keep the veteran stretch big as part of the rotation, or use his expiring deal to chase another move.
Portis wasn’t the expected headline piece in the deal, but he came back as a useful bonus alongside a former Finals MVP. He brings exactly the kind of traits that fit around high-end talent: floor spacing, toughness, and enough defensive bite to matter in the right lineup.
That said, the contract situation is impossible to ignore. Portis is on an expiring deal worth $14.52 million through the 2026-27 season, and he has a player option that could reach $15.60 million the following year. Miami can keep shopping him all the way to the Feb. 5, 2027 trade deadline, but the better basketball answer may be to hold onto him.
The 31-year-old is coming off another productive season. In 67 games, with nine starts, he averaged 13.7 points on 48.8 percent shooting, 6.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists.
Over the last seven seasons, he has finished in the top 10 in Sixth Man of the Year voting three times and reached finalist status twice. That kind of track record matters because Portis can do more than just occupy space; he can slide between power forward and an undersized center role.
The shooting is what makes him especially interesting next to Giannis and Bam Adebayo. Portis set a new career high by hitting 45.6 percent from three last season, and if that holds, Miami suddenly has another real problem for opposing defenses to sort out.
Erik Spoelstra has long been tied to small-ball concepts, including the old “Big 3” days when Chris Bosh was used as an undersized center because he could stretch the floor. Portis fits that kind of approach in certain lineups. Still, the Heat may not need to lean on him too heavily at center anyway, especially after Nick Richards signed a non-guaranteed contract a couple of weeks ago.
In Other News...
Pelle Larsson Suddenly Has A Real Chance To Matter For Miami
Pelle Larsson is starting to look like more than a depth piece in Miami, and the timing could not be better for a Heat roster that may need fresh contributors to step forward. His NBA performance has taken a noticeable step, and with roster changes pointing toward a bigger opportunity next season, there is a real opening for him to carve out a meaningful role instead of simply filling minutes.
Sports Illustrateds Major Passons even floated Larsson as a Most Improved Player candidate, which says plenty about how his profile has changed. Add in his recent run with Sweden in FIBA World Cup European qualifiers, and the arrow is pointing up for a player whose development could become one of Miamis more interesting subplots if the expanded spotlight around the team keeps building. [Read more 🡒]
Heat Still Face One Roster Decision After Their Busy Offseason
After a busy offseason that brought Giannis Antetokounmpo into the mix and added several more pieces, the Heat still have one roster spot sitting open. It is the kind of final move teams can leave hanging for a while, but in Miami it matters because the roster is already starting to take shape around experience, versatility and veterans who can fit into different lineups without needing the ball all the time.
Nicolas Batum, Victor Oladipo and Kevin Love have each been floated as possible answers, and all three make sense for different reasons. Batum offers two-way flexibility, Oladipo brings backcourt experience, and Love still gives a team a proven frontcourt presence, but none of those additions has been confirmed by the Heat. For now, the last spot remains one of the few unresolved questions after an otherwise crowded offseason. [Read more 🡒]
Heat Have A Point Guard Problem Beyond Davion Mitchell
Davion Mitchell looks like the likeliest answer at point guard heading into the upcoming season, but the larger issue for Miami is what comes after him. The Heat have made a habit of squeezing value out of imperfect rosters, yet the backcourt behind Mitchell is thin enough that it stands out as one of the clearest roster concerns as camp approaches.
Dru Smith is among the names in line to help, but Miami still has some uncertainty to sort through before the season starts. Whether the solution comes through roster movement or internal growth, the Heat need more stability at the position if they want to keep pace in a crowded Eastern Conference. [Read more 🡒]