The Miami Heat’s search for a backcourt upgrade may have already narrowed to one name.
With Kyrie Irving now reportedly staying in Dallas, Dejounte Murray stands out as the guard who could make the most sense for Miami. The Heat have been uneven to open the year, but Wednesday’s overtime win over the Los Angeles Clippers offered a reminder that the group can still claw its way back when things start going sideways. Down 20 at halftime, Miami rallied to steal it, and the frontcourt pairing of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo remains a work in progress even with both players carrying All-Star credentials.
That’s why the need for a dynamic guard keeps coming back to the center of the conversation. Miami has been linked to Irving, but that path appears to be closing fast.
Irving, 34, just returned to action for the first time since March 2025 after tearing his ACL and missing the entire 2025-26 season. Through six games, he’s averaging 22.7 points, four rebounds and 4.8 assists, and Dallas’ unexpectedly strong start has changed the tone around his future.
What once looked like a team headed toward the bottom of the Western Conference now has a real chance to push into the Play-In picture, especially with Irving looking sharp and second-year forward Cooper Flagg emerging as a star. According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Mavericks have no interest in moving on from the nine-time All-Star this season.
If Irving is off the table, Murray becomes the more realistic swing for Miami.
The New Orleans Pelicans guard, 30, was once considered one of the league’s top two-way backcourt players, and his last couple of seasons haven’t matched that peak. Still, there are signs he’s trending back in the right direction.
Murray returned last season after tearing his Achilles in January 2025, and in 14 games he averaged 16.7 points, 6.4 assists and 5.4 rebounds. He also looks healthy and strong to begin this season.
For a Heat team trying to stabilize its rotation, that matters. New Orleans could be open to moving pieces this year, and Murray’s age, contract that runs through 2028, and recent dip from his earlier level could keep his price from getting too steep. If Miami is serious about adding a guard who can help balance the roster, Murray looks like the name to circle now.
In Other News...
Heats Road Trip Just Exposed A Bigger Early-Season Problem
The Heats trip through the Bay ended the way too many of their early nights have gone, with Miami looking a step slow and a step smaller in a 120-100 loss to the Warriors at Chase Center. Golden State found its rhythm after a sluggish opening, and Steph Currys 22 points in the second half helped turn the game into the kind of offensive surge Miami could not match.
More than the final margin, the troubling part for Miami was how often the same issues showed up at once. The Heat were outrebounded and outpaced, two problems that have already helped drag them to a 3-6 start and a 1-3 mark on the road trip, leaving the bigger question of whether this is just a rough stretch or something more fundamental about how theyre opening the season. [Read more 🡒]
Heat Already Have A Rotation Problem They Cant Ignore
Miamis early-season unevenness has already exposed a familiar issue: the Heat are still searching for the right mix around Bam Adebayo. Adebayo has looked more assertive on offense lately, attacking with better aggression and efficiency, and Klay Thompson has given the group a needed perimeter threat even after a rough night against Golden State. But with the team sitting at 3-6 and hovering in 10th in the East, the margin for patience is getting thin.
The bigger concern is that the supporting cast has not settled in the way Miami needs. Andrew Wiggins has not brought consistent energy, and Tim Hardaway Jr. has seen his minutes trend down as the staff looks for a more reliable answer. For a team that usually prides itself on clarity and accountability, the rotation already feels unsettled, and the Heat have to sort through it quickly before the early wobble becomes a longer-term problem. [Read more 🡒]
Doc Rivers Just Added Pressure To Miamis Giannis Debate
Doc Rivers Hall of Fame week turned into a fresh talking point for anyone tracking the Heats long-running Giannis Antetokounmpo conversation. While reflecting on his time coaching the Bucks, Rivers described Antetokounmpo as a tough player to coach because of the way he plays and the pace he brings, even as he singled out Erik Spoelstra for praise. It was the kind of comment that immediately lands in Miami, where Spoelstras name always carries weight and any discussion of elite stars tends to get filtered through what he could do with them.
Jason Kidd pushed back publicly on Rivers characterization of Antetokounmpos basketball IQ, adding another layer to a debate that never really stays quiet for long. Giannis has still put up strong individual numbers this season, but the Bucks disappointing record has only sharpened the scrutiny around him, and by extension the fit questions that always seem to follow him. For Heat fans, it is another reminder that the conversation is never just about talent. It is about how that talent would be managed, maximized and ultimately judged in Miami. [Read more 🡒]