Heat Reportedly Sign Nick Richards After Klay Thompson Contract, Updated Depth Chart

After bringing in Klay Thompson last week, the Miami Heat have added some frontcourt depth ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.

Per ESPN's Shams Charania, the Heat have signed center Nick Richards to a one-year deal.

Heat Depth Chart
PG	Davion Mitchell	Dru Smith	Tre Donaldson
SG	Tim Hardaway Jr.	Klay Thompson	Pelle Larsson
SF	Andrew Wiggins	Klay Thompson	Myron Gardner
PF	Giannis Antetokounmpo	Bobby Portis	Simone Fonetecchio
C	Bam Adebayo	Nick Richards	Nikola Jovic

Richards, a second-round pick in 2020, spent the first four years of his career with the Charlotte Hornets before being traded to the Phoenix Suns during the 2024-25 campaign.

The Chicago Bulls traded for Richards in February ahead of the trade deadline.

He's coming off a season in which he posted 5.8 points and 5.1 boards per game across 48 contests. It was a relatively down year for him as he played just 14.6 minutes per contest.

The Heat have been eyeing roster upgrades since making a blockbuster trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo earlier this summer, but they haven't exactly had the means to make any major signings.

Richards isn't a premier signing, but he at least gives Miami some much needed depth in the frontcourt, and joining the team on a veteran minimum means the Heat will stay below the first apron.

The deal comes after Miami signed the sharpshooting veteran Thompson to a two-year, $11.5 million contract following a buyout with the Dallas Mavericks. Shooting was a main priority for the Heat heading into the season, and they managed to pick up one of the best three-point specialists in NBA history.

Whether the two new roster additions will give Miami enough to compete in a loaded Eastern Conference remains to be seen.