Heat Linked to 2 Vets as Potential Signings in New NBA Rumors amid Slow Start to Season

The Miami Heat are reportedly considering signing reuniting Kevin Porter Jr. and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The Heat have "weighed signing a free agent like Kevin Porter Jr. or Heat alumnus Gabe Vincent to try to manufacture some immediate help" after a 5-6 start to the season, NBA insider Jake Fischer reported for The Stein Line's Substack.

Porter, who spent parts of two seasons playing with Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks, has been a free agent since he was waived by Milwaukee in October.

He averaged 17.4 points and a career-high 7.4 assists for the Bucks when available last season, but missed most of the campaign with a right knee injury.

Marc Stein and Fischer previously connected the Sacramento Kings to an interest in Porter following Ben Simmons' season-ending Achilles injury. The Portland Trail Blazers and Denver Nuggets have also shown interest in Porter, per Fischer.

Vincent went unsigned this offseason after averaging 4.4 and 1.4 assists last season in a campaign split between the Los Angeles Lakers and Atlanta Hawks.

Stein previously reported Vincent has drawn interest from the New York Knicks and has a "standing offer" from the Sacramento Kings.

The Heat struggled as Bam Adebayo worked to find his fit with Antetokounmpo during an 0-4 start to the season.

Miami has turned things around by winning three of its last four games, although those victories came against opponents that have combined for a total of four wins so far this season in the Los Angeles Clippers, Utah Jazz and Kings.

The Heat have a tougher schedule ahead, starting over the next week with games against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons and Houston Rockets. How the team performs over this stretch could influence what answers the Heat seeks in free agency.

Should Miami later look for help via trade rather than adding through free agency, Fischer speculated some moves could take place sooner rather than later.

According to Fischer, a "cap strategist contacted by The Stein Line suggested that we could see teams with losing records try to make their first trade moves" around Dec. 15 rather than the February deadline because that's when players on contracts signed last offseason are eligible to be traded.