The Miami Heat have made a crucial final touch to their roster that could completely change the landscape of the Eastern Conference. By officially securing free agent center Nick Richards on a one-year contract, the Heat have checked off their final offseason objective: building a dependable, deep second unit designed to prevent the exact roster flaws that ultimately derailed Giannis Antetokounmpo’s later years with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Throughout Antetokounmpo’s tenure in Milwaukee, a recurring issue plagued the franchise—a glaring lack of meaningful depth that chronically overburdened the starting lineup. In fact, the Bucks’ bench units ranked 20th or worse in net rating in three out of five seasons, forcing their superstars to log unsustainable minutes just to keep the team afloat. With the acquisition of Richards filling roster slot No. 14, Miami has deliberately engineered a starkly different environment for their new superstar duo.
The Heat’s projected starting lineup already boasts a terrifying mix of perimeter grit and interior dominance, featuring Davion Mitchell and Andrew Wiggins on the wings, paired with All-Defense anchor Bam Adebayo at center and Antetokounmpo anchoring the power forward spot. While questions still linger around who will claim the final starting backcourt position—with veterans like Klay Thompson, Tim Hardaway Jr., and rising talent Pelle Larsson all competing for the role—the true strength of Miami’s roster lies in the staggering flexibility of their bench.
Instead of facing a free fall whenever the starters head to the bench, Miami can roll out a second unit featuring elite floor-spacing, playmaking, and interior muscle. Bobby Portis Jr. offers elite shooting from the frontcourt, coming off a campaign where he averaged 13.7 points and knocked down over 45 percent of his three-point attempts. Alongside him is 6’10” point forward Nikola Jovic, whose unique guard-like skill set provides dynamic versatility for the second unit.
On the perimeter, the bench will benefit immensely from high-volume marksmanship. Hardaway Jr. comes in fresh off a season averaging 13.5 points while shooting an elite 40.7 percent from beyond the arc, while Thompson adds 11.7 points per game with a 38.3 percent clip from deep. Meanwhile, Larsson brings multifaceted value as both a high-efficiency driver and a perimeter stopper who ranked in the 94th percentile in isolation defense.
Yet, the missing ingredient to tie this entire reserve unit together was a true defensive anchor in the interior to spell Adebayo and Antetokounmpo—a role that Nick Richards is uniquely built to handle. Ranking in the 84th percentile in rim protection, the 96th percentile in post defense, and placing near the top of the league in rebounding during the 2025-26 season (while putting up even more elite defensive tracking metrics the year prior), Richards provides traditional, high-motor impact right near the basket.
By pairing Richards’ elite interior defense and rebounding with Portis’ floor-spacing capabilities, the Heat suddenly possess one of the most balanced and formidable backup frontcourt pairings in the entire NBA.
For Antetokounmpo and Adebayo, this depth translates into something they desperately need: actual, meaningful rest during games without the fear of the team collapsing. While the final pieces of the starting rotation are still shaking out, the addition of Nick Richards proves that the Heat have learned from history, constructing a complete, balanced roster ready to maximize their championship window.
