Miami Heat's Bold Roster Changes: John Konchar as Final Candidate
The Miami Heat didn’t just tweak around the edges this summer. They tore up the blueprint.
A 10th-place finish in the Eastern Conference forced Pat Riley and the front office into action, and the response has been emphatic: two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo via a blockbuster deal with the Milwaukee Bucks, four-time NBA champion Klay Thompson on the wing, and a rebuilt frontcourt around Bam Adebayo.
The roster looks dramatically different. One decision still hangs in the air.
Heat Circle John Konchar as Final-Roster Candidate
With most of the heavy lifting done and the Heat sitting $2.5 million below the first apron hard cap, the last open roster spot has become a quiet but important storyline. Into that space steps an unexpected name: John Konchar.
NBA insider Brett Siegel reported that Miami had “real trade interest” in Konchar when he was still with the Memphis Grizzlies. That interest may not be dead.
“Miami has an open roster spot and are $2.5M below their first apron hard cap. Wouldn’t be surprising if Miami still held interest in Konchar,” Siegel wrote, framing the veteran guard as a live option as the Heat weigh their final move.
Konchar, 28, is coming off a season in which he averaged 4.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists. The numbers don’t leap off the page, but his game has always been about filling gaps rather than headlines. He signed a three-year, $18.495 million deal with Memphis in 2024, carrying an average annual salary of $6.165 million through the 2026-27 season.
His shooting dipped last year — just 28.3% from three — yet his career mark of 34.9% from deep still suggests a capable floor spacer in the right role. For a team that now orbits around the gravity of Antetokounmpo and Adebayo, that matters.
Konchar’s name surfaced again after Shams Charania reported that the Minnesota Timberwolves were sending Josh Green and cash to the Utah Jazz in exchange for Cody Williams and Konchar. Minnesota’s plan was straightforward: waive and stretch Konchar’s guaranteed salary to open space for Jonathan Kuminga’s two-year, $12.4 million contract. Moving Green’s $14.7 million number was the key to that maneuver.
If the Timberwolves follow through and Konchar hits the market, Miami suddenly has a veteran role player available at a moment when it has just enough room to act. His rebounding from the guard spot, his willingness to defend and his ability to touch multiple parts of a box score line up neatly with the Heat’s long-standing preference for versatile, low-maintenance contributors.
The question is whether last season’s shooting slump gives Miami pause, or simply presents a buy-low opportunity on a player whose career profile suggests he can be better.
A New Frontcourt, New Possibilities for Spoelstra
While the Konchar possibility simmers, the bulk of Miami’s work has already reshaped Erik Spoelstra’s board.
Antetokounmpo joins Adebayo to form one of the league’s most imposing interior duos. Giannis brings relentless pressure at the rim and transition dominance; Adebayo adds elite defense, playmaking from the elbows and a growing offensive arsenal. Together, they give Miami a front line that can bully, switch and dictate terms.
Bobby Portis adds another layer. The veteran big can bang inside, stretch out to the arc and bring playoff seasoning. He fits snugly into lineups that demand both size and shooting, a valuable bridge between traditional and modern looks.
Miami also moved to solidify its depth at center with Nick Richards on a one-year, $3.1 million contract. Richards averaged 5.8 points and 5.1 rebounds last season with the Phoenix Suns and Chicago Bulls, and across 305 career games has posted 7.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 0.8 blocks in 17.6 minutes per night. He’s a classic backup five: rim runner, rebounder, shot contestor, nothing fancy, plenty useful.
Spoelstra can now toggle between a bruising, conventional frontcourt — pairing Adebayo with Portis or Richards — and smaller, shooting-heavy units that space the floor for Antetokounmpo’s drives. The combinations are richer, the margin for error wider.
On the perimeter, the shooting has been upgraded to match the new interior firepower. Thompson, even in the later stages of his career, remains a premium marksman, hitting 38.3% from three last season with the Dallas Mavericks. Around him, Portis, Andrew Wiggins, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Davion Mitchell all bring credible range from beyond the arc.
The Heat no longer have to scrape for spacing. They can select it.
One Spot, One Skill Set
All of that context narrows the focus of Miami’s final decision. With stars and shooting in place, the last roster spot becomes less about raw talent and more about fit.
Konchar offers connective tissue — a guard who rebounds, moves the ball, defends multiple positions and, at his best, hits enough threes to keep defenses honest. He doesn’t need volume. He doesn’t need plays called for him. He just needs a role.
Miami’s previous interest, its current cap position and the likelihood that Konchar becomes available all intersect at the same point: a veteran who could round out a rotation built to contend now.
The Heat have options. Size, shooting, and depth are already on the board. The final choice is whether a player like Konchar is the missing detail that turns an aggressive offseason into a complete one.
