The Chicago Bulls needed to make a decision on their center rotation this offseason.
With both Nick Richards and Zach Collins hitting the open market and Nikola Vucevic having been moved to the Boston Celtics at the trade deadline, they needed to replenish the big man spot if this roster was going to have any chance of avoiding the 'relegation zone' in 2026-27. They ultimately swung a trade for veteran center Nic Claxton, absorbing him into their cap space, while re-signing Collins on a deal that will allow them to move on as soon as the trade deadline if he proves to have any value.
That left Richards, after 20 up-and-down games in a Bulls uniform, back on the open market. In a lackluster center class, Richards was always going to find his next opportunity—it just didn't make sense with Chicago given their needs.
But if Richards can stay healthy in 2026-27, the one-year, $3 million contract he signed with the Miami Heat could have a larger impact than many would've ever imagined.
Miami is a true contender with Giannis Antetokounmpo in the fold. Richards is the type of piece that, when he's at the top of his game, can help complete a rotation like the one the Heat have put together.
Chicago didn't need Nick Richards—but that doesn't mean he won't have a major role to play on his new team
As argued above, re-signing Richards simply didn't make sense for Chicago. He averaged 9.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 0.4 assists while shooting 52.3% from the field during his stint with the team last season, but their acquisition of Claxton helps raise the floor of this roster to a manageable level.
Even on a non-guaranteed deal with Miami, though, Richards has a chance to play a major role.
It's no secret that Miami sacrificed a significant amount of their depth in their deal for Antetokounmpo. They ultimately parted with Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel'el Ware, and Kasparas Jakucionis in the trade, leaving them with Bobby Portis (who was sent back to Miami in the deal) as their lone center depth behind Bam Adebayo. At 6'9", Portis has enough defensive upside to take on limited minutes at the big man position, but that's not a sure-fire solution for a contending team.
Granted, Richards isn't either. He's not truly a floor spacer or a formidable offensive presence, and he's missed a significant stretch of games in virtually every season he's played in the NBA. But teams seeking out championships need reliable rebounders and rim-runners on the bench in the modern iteration of the NBA. Just look at the New York Knicks, who had Mitchell Robinson in the fold, and the Oklahoma City Thunder, who were buoyed by the presence of Isaiah Hartenstein and Kenrich Williams during their championship run.
With capable shooters in Klay Thompson, Pelle Larsson, and Simone Fontecchio coming off the bench, Richards is the type of presence that could help solidify their offensive attack, and if the Heat can figure out how to properly leverage his shot-blocking within the context of their defensive scheme, we could easily see him become a more capable defender than he's been over the past few seasons.
Of course, there's a chance the signing falls flat—especially if Richards is unavailable for the postseason. But Miami will need to lean on Richards if they want to have a shot at a championship run, and he could have a sneaky opportunity to impact the Heat's ultimate chances against other Eastern Conference contenders like the Philadelphia 76ers and the Knicks given their lack of big man depth in 2026-27.
The Bulls won't regret letting Richards walk, but the Heat could be very grateful they did by the end of this upcoming campaign.
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