Miami Heat are back. After years of dormancy during the era of the best Jimmy Butler and a near-present in which they seemed stuck in a cul-de-sac, the disappointments piled up as star players drifted across the United States without ever pausing in Florida. Well, that has changed this summer.
Pat Riley has propelled the Heat back into the headlines with the trade-driven acquisition of Giannis Antetokounmpo, a move that has opened a wide range of possibilities for a team whose sole aim is the championship and that has sidelined other signings on the way, such as Tim Hardaway Jr. or Klay Thompson. Is the job finished? Not at all.
Miami wants to go all-in for the 2026-27 season, and that means continuing to shape a roster capable of competing with the best teams under the strongest guarantees against any opponent. Following this premise, Marc Stein names the players who are on the table to complete their roster, two of whom are well known to the fans.
Thus, after it was confirmed that Nick Richards is the primary option to strengthen the frontcourt, the Heat have also highlighted Gabe Vincent and Keshad Johnson, both with experience with the team.
The Heat’s contract distribution
With two standard-contract slots available, the front office does not want to gamble with experiments, so bringing back Vincent, who performed brilliantly during his time with the team, sounds like a safe bet.
Assuming that Richards and Vincent will be the ones to claim those standard deals, Miami will try to persuade Johnson to accept a two-way contract. The wing played 32 games last season, averaging 4.3 points and 1.9 rebounds in 8.8 minutes per night. In management’s view, he is a highly usable asset.
