Nick Richards appears likely to have a new team soon. During his NBA Insider’s Notebook livestream for Bleacher Report, NBA insider Jake Fischer said he expects the 6-foot-11 center to join the Miami Heat, barring an unexpected change.
Fischer said Richards and Miami have been connected for some time, and the report points to a fit that makes sense for both sides. The Heat have a roster opening and could add Richards as their 14th standard-contract player, which would still leave room for another move later.
Why Richards makes sense for Miami
Richards is coming off a 2025-26 season in which he played for the Chicago Bulls and averaged 9.4 points and 7.6 rebounds. At 28 years old, he brings recent NBA production and size to a Miami frontcourt that could use more depth behind Bam Adebayo.
The reported move also matters because Miami is not yet maxed out on standard contracts. If Richards does land there, the Heat would add another center without closing the door on future roster flexibility.
The Knicks' search continues
Richards' expected landing spot also connects back to a broader roster story in New York. This summer, the New York Knicks spent much of the offseason searching for a third center behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond after losing Mitchell Robinson to the Boston Celtics in free agency.
That search has not been simple, and the Knicks remain the NBA's lone team without a player occupying any of its three two-way slots. For Miami, though, the picture appears more straightforward: Richards looks like a possible standard-contract addition, and Fischer's read is that the Heat are the team to watch unless something changes.
