Dynamic playmaker Ryan Nembhard may soon hit the open market, offering President Pat Riley a prime opportunity to bolster the Miami Heat's backcourt depth with a high-upside developmental talent.
MIAMI, Fla. – The Atlanta Hawks and Charlotte Hornets finalized a three-player trade on Tuesday, guard Ryan Nembhard included, but the undrafted prospect is reportedly set to be waived.
Ahead of training camp and media day, the Miami Heat could make a last-minute addition. Nembhard reportedly has multiple suitors on potential two-way deals; however, a standard contract could be enough to lure him. The Heat have searched the market to add a point guard and Nembhard best fits the bill, if available.
The 23-year-old played four seasons of NCAA college basketball with evenly split stints at Creighton in the Big East and Gonzaga in the West Coast Conference. Nembhard wasn’t selected in the 2025 NBA Draft, then signed a two-way contract with the Dallas Mavericks.
It didn’t take long for the rookie to crack the rotation, despite initially being limited to 50 regular-season games. Nembhard made a name for himself on Dec. 1, 2025, against the Denver Nuggets. He logged 28 points on 85.7 percent shooting, 10 assists, and three rebounds in 34 minutes. The Mavericks promoted Nembhard to a standard contract in late February and exercised his $2.15 million team option for the 2026-27 season.
Afterwards, the Canadian guard had been part of two separate deals and appears close to hitting the open market.
Nembhard is undersized, listed at 5-11 and 180 pounds, but can emerge as a remarkable playmaker. Last season, he had six games with at least 10 assists, including 23 on April 12 against the Chicago Bulls.
The Heat are arguably the league’s best organization at developing overlooked talent. Duncan Robinson, Max Strus, Gabe Vincent, Caleb Martin, and Haywood Highsmith are just recent examples. Nembhard could emerge as the next case. The Heat currently don’t have any two-way slots available, but an open standard.
As Davion Mitchell is the team’s projected starting point guard, Dru Smith is looking to be the backup. Tre Donaldson (two-way) could make things competitive.
The Heat could sign Nembhard to a training camp deal and reevaluate from there, but that would push him towards the suitors offering two-way contracts. It could come down to how much Team President Pat Riley and the rest of the front office value him. Nembhard could clear waivers as early as this week.
As the 2026-27 NBA season approaches, the Heat are preparing to compete for the Larry O’Brien trophy and end a 13-year active championship drought.
Anthony Aguirre covers the Miami Hurricanes and Miami Heat for Roundtable Sports. Contact info for tips/info: [email protected] & 305-987-3290 | Follow on Instagram/X: @AnthonyA_Sports
