The Heat already flipped the East by landing Giannis Antetokounmpo, and still, this offseason doesn’t feel completely finished. A possible LeBron James reunion got a lot louder after the franchise accidentally dropped a YouTube link titled “LeBron James Introductory Press Conference,” scheduled for July 27. They took it down fast and said the content was only prepared as a possible scenario, so nothing is official, but Miami clearly hasn’t shut that door.
LeBron would give them another elite passer and half-court organizer after putting up 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists in 60 games last season. A group with LeBron, Giannis, and Bam Adebayo would have ridiculous size, IQ, and rim pressure. It would also create one clear problem: none of those three are a high-volume shooter to balance the spacing issues.
Giannis is coming off 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 5.4 assists. Bam finished at 20.1 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 3.2 assists. The Heat can run everything through both big men, punish smaller lineups, and build a nasty defensive frontcourt. The spacing, though, can get tight real quick if the wings and guards around them aren’t ready to shoot at a high level. That gets even more important if LeBron actually shows up.
Miami doesn’t need another veteran trying to force his way into star minutes. The last roster spots should go to guys who can come in for 10 or 15 minutes, know exactly what they’re supposed to do, and make defenses pay when they collapse into the paint. Some are still out there in free agency, and could help out great in the deep rotation after losing so much perimeter scoring in the Giannis move.
3. Kelly Olynyk
A Kelly Olynyk reunion isn’t the sexiest idea, especially after his minutes basically vanished last season. But it starts to make sense once you look at this frontcourt. He already knows Spoelstra’s system from his first stint here and can play the 4 or the 5, and he passes better than most veteran forwards hanging around the end of the bench.
The 35-year-old finished 2025-26 with 3.2 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in just 8.8 minutes across 41 games for the Spurs. His three-point shooting dropped to 25.5%, which is rough for a guy you’re mainly bringing in for spacing. That tiny role and the inconsistent minutes make it hard to treat that season like the new normal, though. He came into the year as a career 36.9% shooter from three and averaged 10.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists over the previous four seasons.
The idea would be using him as a stretch five behind Bam, especially in those Giannis-led bench units. If the opposing center chases Olynyk out to the arc, Giannis gets more room to work. If that defender stays home, Olynyk gets a shot he’s made at a solid clip for most of his career. He can also make the extra pass from the top, attack a slow closeout, or find cutters instead of just holding the ball and killing the possession.
Defense will always be the issue. He’s not an elite rim protector, and he struggles when he’s forced to switch onto quick guards over and over. Miami has enough defensive pieces to hide him in short bursts, though. They wouldn’t need 25 minutes or a locked-in rotation spot. Just another experienced big who gives Spo a five-out look, some injury insurance, and a guy who already knows the system.
2. Doug McDermott
This is probably the most limited player on this list, but the one thing Doug McDermott does is exactly what this roster needs. There’s no mystery with him: he runs off screens, relocates when somebody drives, and gets the shot up quick so the defense can’t send his man over to help on Giannis without paying for it.
He gave the Kings 5.7 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 0.8 assists in 15.1 minutes across 29 games last season, hitting 39.0% from three on 4.2 attempts a night. The overall 38.8% from the field looks ugly until you check the shot diet: 123 of his 139 field-goal attempts came from beyond the arc. He’s also a career 41.0% shooter from three, so this isn’t some random hot season.
McDermott would give the Heat real movement instead of another guy camping in the same corner the whole possession. Spo could run him off Bam handoffs as he did with Duncan Robinson, use him as a screener for LeBron, or stick him on the weak side while Giannis attacks. One defender chasing McDermott through those actions is one less body sitting in the paint, and sometimes that’s all you need to open things up.
Playoff teams will go at him, no question. He doesn’t rebound much, doesn’t defend on the ball, and isn’t creating for others. But Miami can put Davion Mitchell at the point of attack, Andrew Wiggins on the toughest wing, and Giannis or Bam behind the play. McDermott isn’t closing big games, but a minimum guy doesn’t have to. Ten solid minutes where he knocks down a couple threes and forces the defense to stop packing the paint would already be worth it.
1. Seth Curry
Seth Curry should be the first call because the fit is almost too clean. The Heat need another guard who can shoot at a really high level without needing the ball in his hands, and that’s basically been Curry’s entire career next to higher-usage guys.
In a tiny 10-game sample with the Warriors last season, he put up 7.1 points, 1.2 rebounds and 1.0 assist in 13.3 minutes, shooting 49.0% from the field, 48.0% from three and 91.7% from the line. The sample is small, but the career numbers aren’t. He’s knocked down 43.3% of his threes across his NBA career, which is one of the best marks among active players.
His job next to Giannis would be ridiculously simple. Sit beyond the arc, wait for Giannis to force the defense inside, and make the help defender choose between giving up a straight line to the rim or leaving a 43.3% career shooter open. He can also work off Bam’s handoffs, take a dribble or two against a hard closeout, and make the simple pass when the roller is open. Nobody would ask him to run the point, especially if LeBron is there handling a big chunk of the creation.
He’s only 6-foot-1 and played just 10 games last year, so the defensive and availability questions are real. The Heat are built better than most teams to cover that, though. Spo can surround him with Mitchell, Wiggins, Giannis and Bam, keep his minutes short and offensive-focused, and pull him the second a matchup gets too physical. Curry wouldn’t solve every problem, but he would directly address the biggest one that comes with stacking this much interior talent on the same roster. That’s why he’s the best final minimum target for Miami.