The Miami Heat‘s backcourt could look dramatically different by the time training camp opens.
Tyler Herro is gone after being included in the blockbuster trade package that won them the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes. Norman Powell also appears increasingly likely to depart in free agency.
Now, two more veteran guards have emerged as potential solutions.
According to NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer, the Heat are expected to pursue unrestricted free agents Tim Hardaway Jr. and Mike Conley Jr. as Miami looks to rebuild its backcourt with limited financial flexibility.
Heat Monitoring Two Veteran Guards
Writing Sunday in The Stein Line, Stein and Fischer reported that Miami has already identified a pair of experienced backcourt targets.
“Free agents Miami is expected to target with its very limited financial flexibility after its blockbuster deal to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo from Milwaukee? We’ve heard two names all morning.”
“League sources say that the Heat will have strong interest in the veteran duo of Tim Hardaway Jr. and Mike Conley Jr.”
The report comes as Miami continues reshaping its roster around Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo while navigating the financial constraints created by the blockbuster trade.
Unlike star free agents expected to command lucrative multi-year deals, Hardaway and Conley represent experienced veterans who could fill important rotation roles without significantly restricting the Heat’s cap flexibility.
Powell’s Future Continues to Cloud Miami’s Plans
The Heat’s search for backcourt reinforcements comes as Norman Powell’s future remains uncertain.
HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto recently reported that the Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons are among the teams expected to pursue Powell, while ESPN insider Shams Charania said Miami is operating under the expectation that the veteran guard will not return.
Earlier this week, the Miami Herald also linked veteran sharpshooter Buddy Hield to the Heat as another potential replacement should Powell leave in free agency.
Taken together, the reports suggest Miami is aggressively preparing contingency plans after already parting with Herro in the Antetokounmpo trade.
Hardaway Brings Proven Shooting and Heat Family Ties
GettyTim Hardaway Jr. of the Denver Nuggets shoots the ball against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second quarter at Ball Arena on December 25, 2025 in Denver, Colorado.
Hardaway could be one of the cleaner fits.
According to Scotto, the veteran wing is expected to generate significant interest after producing one of the most efficient shooting seasons of his career with Denver.
Hardaway averaged 13.5 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 2.8 three-pointers while shooting 40.7% from beyond the arc, a career high, finishing third in the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year voting.
Scotto noted that Hardaway would likely need to accept a discount to remain with the Nuggets because several teams possess the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception.
A move to Miami would also carry personal significance.
His father, Tim Hardaway Sr., became one of the defining players of the Heat’s rise during the franchise’s celebrated teams of the 1990s and remains one of the most beloved figures in team history.
Conley Could Provide Veteran Stability
GettyMike Conley of the Minnesota Timberwolves drives to the basket against Devin Vassell of the San Antonio Spurs in the first quarter in Game Four of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Target Center on May 10, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Conley would address a different need.
The 38-year-old point guard is no longer the high-volume scorer he once was, but he remains one of the league’s most respected floor generals.
Last season, Conley averaged career lows of 4.5 points, 2.9 assists and 1.7 rebounds in 18.4 minutes.
Following Minnesota’s second-round playoff loss to the San Antonio Spurs, Conley was confident he could continue playing.
“I might’ve proven to myself I can play a little longer,” he said after the season.
His path back to Minnesota appears increasingly unlikely after the Timberwolves acquired LaMelo Ball in a blockbuster trade and re-signed Ayo Dosunmu to a five-year contract.
That leaves Conley positioned to explore other opportunities.
For Miami, his leadership, playoff experience and ability to organize an offense could prove especially valuable as the franchise builds around Antetokounmpo, Adebayo and an evolving supporting cast.
With Herro already gone and Powell’s future increasingly uncertain, the Heat’s offseason focus has shifted from replacing star power to rebuilding depth.
Stein and Fischer’s latest report suggests Hardaway and Conley have become two of the leading candidates to help stabilize a backcourt undergoing one of its biggest transformations in years.
Heat Linked to 2 Veteran Guards to Bolster Giannis-Adebayo Duo