MIAMI — The Miami Heat addressed the perceived lack of depth in their power rotation Thursday by signing Chicago Bulls free-agent center Nick Richards.
Richards was signed to a one-year deal at the NBA veteran minimum, with a guarantee date of the Heat’s Oct. 21 regular-season season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Kaseya Center.
In that regard, it is similar to the contract taken by former Heat first-round pick Precious Achiuwa before last season’s training camp, with Achiuwa then cut at the end of camp, before any salary was guaranteed.
In adding Richards, it moves the Heat to 14 players under standard contract, the number at which teams then can sign camp prospects to Exhibit 10 tryout deals.
Teams can carry a maximum of 15 players under standard contract and up to three players on two-way deals during the regular season.
In addition, the Heat agreed to bring back forward Keshad Johnson on a two-way contract. The defending NBA All-Star Weekend dunk champion previously had been on a standard deal.
Johnson, who started his Heat career on a two-way deal after going undrafted out of Arizona in 2024, will be eligible to be on the Heat’s active roster a maximum of 50 games during the regular season. He will earn half of the NBA veteran minimum salary.
With the Richards agreement, the players under standard contract to the Heat are Bam Adebayo, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Ryan Conwell, Simone Fontecchio, Myron Gardner, Tim Hardaway Jr., Nikola Jovic, Pelle Larsson, Davion Mitchell, Bobby Portis, Dru Smith, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Richards.
Under two-way contract to the Heat are undrafted University of Miami guard Tre Donaldson, 7-footer Vlad Goldin, the former Florida Atlantic University Final Four center, and now Johnson. Two-way contracts can be subbed out at any time.
The Heat are expected to carry only 14 players under standard contract at the start of their season, due to their position against the hard cap created by the machinations for the acquisition of Antetokounmpo.
Teams can carry a maximum of 21 players before the start of the regular season.
As for Richards, 28, he was a second-round pick out of Kentucky in 2020, playing four full seasons with the Charlotte Hornets at the outset of his NBA career, before moving on to the Phoenix Suns at the 2025 NBA trading deadline and then to the Bulls at this past season’s trade deadline.
A native of Kingston, Jamaica, Richards did not begin playing competitive basketball until 2013, having previously focused on track, volleyball and soccer. He was a teammate of former Heat guard Tyler Herro at Kentucky, arriving to the Wildcats as a replacement for Adebayo.
Richards recently has been working out with Heat players at Kaseya Center and other South Florida venues, at one point practicing in Heat gear.
The 6-foot-11 big man is coming off a three-year, $15 million extension he signed with the Hornets in March 2023. His Heat contract is for $3.1 million but will count only $2.5 million against the cap, tax and tax apron.
While Richards sets up as a backup center to Adebayo, he likely will fall no higher than fourth in the power rotation, slotting in behind Adebayo, Antetokounmpo and Bobby.
As for Johnson, it has been a somewhat uneven ride with the Heat. He signed a two-way contract with the Heat in July 2024, and that December was upgraded to a standard contract. The Heat then saw enough in the 2025 offseason to pick up their team option on another standard deal. However, in June the Heat bypassed the opportunity to make him a restricted free agent, an indication he was going to be squeezed out of a standard deal.
The Heat open training camp on Sept. 29 and play their preseason opener on Oct. 3.