A familiar guard would welcome an opportunity to return to the Miami Heat. For now, Miami has not invited him back.
Veteran free agent Gabe Vincent remains open to a Heat reunion, but the team has not made him an offer, according to the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson.
Jackson noted that Miami could give Vincent a non-guaranteed contract and allow him to compete with Drew Smith during training camp. Such a move would not prevent the Heat from eventually signing another player to its open 15th standard roster spot.
The Heat have 18 players under contract and can bring as many as 21 to training camp. That leaves room to evaluate Vincent without making an immediate regular-season commitment.
Still, no offer has arrived.
Knicks Spoke With Gabe Vincent Before Adding 5 Veterans
The New York Knicks also spoke with Vincent before filling their training camp roster, according to SNY’s Ian Begley.
New York subsequently signed five veterans to non-guaranteed contracts: Bruce Brown, John Konchar, James Wiseman, Drew Eubanks and Ochai Agbaji. The group will compete for one or two available regular-season positions.
Konchar previously drew interest from Miami, creating another connection between the Heat’s search for affordable depth and New York’s roster competition.
The Knicks’ additions leave Vincent with a more difficult path to New York. The defending champions have 13 standard contracts and enough room below the second apron to retain only one camp veteran unless they complete a salary-clearing move.
Vincent finished last season with the Atlanta Hawks after the Los Angeles Lakers traded him and a second-round pick for Luke Kennard in February. His three-year, $33 million contract expired after the season, making him an unrestricted free agent.
Heat Preserve Roster Spot for Bigger Opportunity
Miami has taken a more restrained approach.
The Heat, who are hard-capped, signed center Nick Richards to a non-guaranteed contract but otherwise appear determined to preserve flexibility. Jackson reported that Miami seems to be holding its final standard roster spot in case a more consequential player becomes available on the buyout market later in the season.
Giving Vincent a non-guaranteed camp contract would not compromise that strategy. The Heat could evaluate him against Smith, release the player who loses the competition and keep the 15th standard position open.
Vincent’s familiarity with Erik Spoelstra’s system strengthens his case. He developed from an undrafted G League guard into a trusted postseason contributor during four seasons with Miami.
Vincent appeared in two NBA Finals and averaged 12.7 points while shooting 37.8% from three-point range during the Heat’s 2023 playoff run. Injuries and inconsistent playing time prevented him from reproducing that form after leaving Miami.
The current Heat roster bears little resemblance to the one Vincent left. Miami is now built around Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo, with Andrew Wiggins, Klay Thompson, Bobby Portis and Pelle Larsson among their supporting pieces.
Vincent would offer another ball-handler who already understands Miami’s defensive demands and conditioning standards. A non-guaranteed deal would also carry minimal risk.
The interest, however, remains one-sided until the Heat act.
Miami has three open training camp positions and a former playoff contributor willing to compete for one of them. Whether that invitation comes may depend less on sentiment than on how long the Heat intend to wait for something bigger.
Heat Get Clear Message From Playoff-Tested Point Guard