Head Coach Erik Spoelstra, right, recalls colliding with Bobby Portis on the court during a press conference introducing Portis to the Miami Heat on July 16, 2026, at Kaseya Center in Miami.
Alie Skowronski
The Miami Heat still has a few roster spots to fill, but Heat coach Erik Spoelstra is already pleased with where things stand.
“Really confident about it,” Spoelstra said of the Heat’s new-look roster earlier this month when speaking to a small group of reporters. “It all can look good on paper, and then you’re going to have to go through the process of working it out. I love that part of the process, and I love it when it’s not all smooth.”
The Heat’s big move this offseason was trading for two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. Miami also acquired veteran forward Bobby Portis in the deal.
The Heat added three-point shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr. in free agency. In this year’s draft, Miami came away with guard Ryan Conwell in the second round.
“I think we have like-minded pros that have this overarching goal to do something special,” Spoelstra continued. “If you have that, then you’ll be able to work through all the nuances like I just mentioned.”
But the Heat may have a chance to add other experienced veterans in the coming weeks.
The Heat’s roster currently includes 12 players on standard contracts for next season: Antetokounmpo ($58.5 million for 2026-27), Bam Adebayo ($49.5 million), Andrew Wiggins ($30.2 million), Nikola Jovic ($16.2 million), Portis ($14.5 million), Davion Mitchell ($12.4 million), Hardaway ($6.5 million), Dru Smith ($2.6 million), Simone Fontecchio ($2.5 million salary, but $2.5 million cap hit), Pelle Larsson ($2.3 million), Myron Gardner ($500,000 of $2.6 million salary guaranteed) and Conwell ($1.4 million).
NBA teams are essentially required to carry at least 14 players on standard contracts and can have up to 15 players on standard deals during the regular season, which leaves the Heat with two to three standard roster spots to fill. But because the Heat is hard-capped at the first apron due to the mechanisms used in the Antetokounmpo trade, the expectation is it will fill just two of those three roster spots before the start of the regular season.
Among the free agents currently available who the Heat has already shown some level of interest in are veteran guard Bradley Beal and veteran forward DeMar DeRozan. The Heat has had discussions with the representatives for both players, according to league sources.
But league sources say the Heat has prioritized three-point shooting guard Klay Thompson, who is still under contract with the Dallas Mavericks and is due $17.5 million this upcoming season in the final year of his contract. This means that Miami would need to either trade for Thompson or hope he shakes free through a buyout agreement.
Zach Lavine #8 of the Sacramento Kings stands on the court during their game against the Dallas Mavericks at Golden 1 Center on January 06, 2026 in Sacramento. Ezra Shaw Getty Images
Another player under contract but who could potentially become available later this offseason is Sacramento Kings guard Zach LaVine. With the 31-year-old LaVine opting into his $49 million player option for this upcoming season in the final year of his deal, reaching a buyout agreement could be tough since he’s on such a big contract.
The Kings could waive-and-stretch LaVine, which would allow for the rebuilding Kings to create salary-cap relief by waiving a player and stretching his remaining salary on the salary cap twice the number of years remaining on the player’s contract plus one year. NBA teams have until Aug. 29 to waive and apply the stretch provision on a player ahead of next season.
Or the Kings could instead try to trade LaVine as a player on a big expiring contract. But a $49 million salary is challenging to trade because of the NBA’s salary-matching rules that would require the team acquiring LaVine to send close to that amount of salary back to the Kings in the deal.
LaVine, a two-time NBA All-Star, averaged 19.2 points per game while shooting 47.9% from the field and 39% on threes with the Kings last season.
But with the Kings already under the luxury tax after waiving DeRozan, they could also just hold on to LaVine and allow his contract to expire next offseason.
“They haven’t promised him a starting job, they haven’t promised him ‘X’ amount of minutes per game,” longtime Kings reporter James Ham said Thursday on ESPN 1320 Sacramento. “They’ve been honest with him and said, ‘Look, all bets are off if you opt in. So if you’re going to do that, that’s on you. Whatever happens from then on, we understand, you’re making a business decision to accept $49 million. We also as a franchise have to make a business decision with regard to you, and what we’re going to do at our shooting guard position for the next five years. And that does not include you. So if it includes you part of the time this season that’s one thing, but if it doesn’t include you by game 20 or game 40, then it doesn’t. We can try to find you a place to play.’
“But when LaVine accepted that $49 million, he accepted the reality that he is nearly untradable. And any trade that would happen should happen now, and if he’s going to get bought out it should happen now. Because after this it’s not advantageous to anybody.”
The Heat currently has just about $7 million left of its midlevel exception or a minimum contract to offer free agents before reaching the first apron that it is hardcapped at for this upcoming season. The Heat could also use the remaining portion of its midlevel exception to absorb a player’s contract in a trade without having to send back matching salary, provided the player’s salary fits within the $7 million it has left of the exception.
Whatever happens, Spoelstra believes the Heat is already in a good spot even after missing out on future Basketball Hall of Famer LeBron James. Last week, James opted to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers over the Heat in free agency.
“I think we do have the shooting. I think we have the playmaking. I think we have the versatility to play unorthodox,” Spoelstra said. “The fact that Bam and Giannis can handle like guards, and you can invert a lot of your offense. You can play both those guys at the elbows. They both have done that over the course of their careers. You can play them at the top of the floor. You can play them in the post. You can play them as screeners. You can play them as handlers. So there are a lot of possibilities there.”
J-Rich retires
Former Heat guard Josh Richardson announced his retirement from playing basketball on Wednesday after 10 NBA seasons. His final NBA game came on Nov. 18, 2024 as a member of the Heat.
“I always gave my best, that’s why i can say this with no regret,” Richardson, 32, wrote on Instagram to announce his retirement. “I am grateful to have been able to love this game and it love me back as much as it did. It wasn’t set up for me at any point in my career, and from high school, college, and the pros i humbly worked my butt off every day be the best that i could be. All my fans, coaches and teammates, i hope i left a good impression and a positive view of me. Love, JRICH (Yes this is a retirement post)”
Richardson was drafted by the Heat in the second round of the 2015 NBA Draft. He spent six seasons with the Heat across two different tenures, averaging 11.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 42.6% from the field and 36.4% on threes in 310 regular-season appearances (196 starts) with the Heat.
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Anthony Chiang covers the Miami Heat for the Miami Herald. He attended the University of Florida and was born and raised in Miami.