The Miami Heat are reportedly eyeing two veteran free agents, Kevin Porter Jr. and Heat alumnus Gabe Vincent, to try and get some immediate help after kicking off the season with a shaky 5-6 record. NBA insider Jake Fischer reported for The Stein Line’s Substack that Miami has “weighed signing a free agent like Kevin Porter Jr. or Heat alumnus Gabe Vincent to try to manufacture some immediate help” as their early struggles continue. This isn’t just about a couple of signings, though, this is about what their early record is telling the league and what kind of moves they’re ready to make already.
Kevin Porter Jr. Back on the Radar After Bucks Exit
Porter, who spent parts of two seasons playing with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks, has been a free agent since Milwaukee waived him back in October. You remember the guy, right? Last season, when he was actually available, he put up 17.4 points and a career-high 7.4 assists for the Bucks. But yeah, he missed most of that campaign battling a right knee injury. It’s not just Miami kicking the tires either. Marc Stein and Fischer previously linked the Sacramento Kings to Porter after Ben Simmons’ season-ending Achilles injury, and Fischer also reported that the Portland Trail Blazers and Denver Nuggets have shown interest. So, if Miami wants him, they might have to move quick.
Vincent’s Return, Heat’s Turnaround, and the Road Ahead
Gabe Vincent is also on the Heat’s radar, which is wild considering he went unsigned this offseason. He averaged 4.4 points and 1.4 assists last season, splitting time between the Los Angeles Lakers and Atlanta Hawks. Stein had previously reported that the New York Knicks were interested in Vincent, and he even has a “standing offer” from the Sacramento Kings.
Miami’s season started rough, no doubt. They struggled big time with an 0-4 start as Bam Adebayo worked to find his fit with Antetokounmpo. But hey, they’ve actually turned things around a bit, winning three of their last four games. Don’t get too hyped just yet, though, because those victories came against the Los Angeles Clippers, Utah Jazz, and Kings, who’ve only got a combined four wins this season. The schedule gets real tough for the Heat starting over the next week with games against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, and Houston Rockets. How this team performs over that stretch could absolutely dictate what kind of answers the Heat look for in free agency. Plus, if Miami decides to go the trade route instead of free agency, Fischer is speculating some moves could happen sooner than later. He says a “cap strategist contacted by The Stein Line suggested that we could see teams with losing records try to make their first trade moves” around December 15th, because that’s when players signed last offseason are eligible to be dealt. The Heat are definitely a team to watch as the early season pressure mounts.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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