Who Are The Candidates For Miami Heat's Final Roster Spot?

The Miami Heat are just about wrapped up with their offseason moves. They made one of the biggest moves of the offseason by sending four players and picks for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis of the Milwaukee Bucks. The team did lose Norman Powell to the Chicago Bulls in free agency but made multiple signings to build out their depth. In just the last week, they signed Klay Thompson and Nick Richards while also bringing in Tim Hardaway Jr. on a one-year deal earlier this offseason. Simone Fontecchio also returns to the rotation on a one-year deal. Now, there is one remaining roster spot available. The Heat could opt to hold that spot open for flexibility purposes for later on this season or they could add someone to fill it. If the latter is the way they go, here are three options to fill that role:

1. D'Angelo Russell, Memphis Grizzlies

Russell being an option for Miami is contingent on him negotiating a buyout with Memphis, which seems possible. Russell, 30, was once a high-scoring guard but has fallen off in recent years. He's no longer the 20-point scorer he was earlier this decade but could still provide some solid depth off the bench. For a team that only has Davion Mitchell as a true point guard at the moment, Miami could show interest in adding a veteran who has shown he can score at a solid clip even if it's been a few years.

2. Ben Simmons, Los Angeles Clippers

This may be the most interesting option to consider. Earlier this summer, Simmons expressed his interest in making a return to professional basketball after sitting out this past season and named the Heat as a potential destination. He is 30 years old and still could perform well as a defender and playmaker. Obviously, his shooting splits have been a big concern throughout his entire career and it's eventually what forced the Philadelphia 76ers to originally part ways with him but if he can be anywhere close to the same type of defender he was, there is definitely a place for him in the NBA.

3. Bruce Brown Jr., Denver Nuggets

Brown is a veteran who has made a good career as a spark plug off the bench. After winning a championship in Denver in 2023, he found himself back with the Nuggets this past season where he played in all 82 games. Brown shot 47.5 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from three-point range. The Nuggets just added DeMar DeRozan so it seems unlikely they have much interest in bringing back Brown. Despite being undersized, he can play both guard positions along with small forward. Having that versatility is somewhat rare in today's league. With the future of the backcourt in limbo at the moment after trading Tyler Herro and Kasparas Jakucionis while losing Powell to free agency, adding a guy like Brown to rack up minutes could be an efficient way to strengthen that core for the time being.

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