Heat’s investment in these 3 players have backfired this season

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The Heat have committed financial resources into several players on this roster that have provided little to no value on the court.

Over the past near-decade, the Miami Heat have dealt with handing out several regretful contracts to players who didn’t pan out as expected.

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This could go all the way back to the very beginning of the post-LeBron era in 2014 starting with guys like Josh McRoberts, Tyler Johnson, James Johnson, Dion Waiters and even Hassan Whiteside. In more recent years, they’ve committed above-market value to players like Kyle Lowry and Duncan Robinson.

Now of course, not all these situations are linear. Some players were paid based on past performance before arriving in Miami and suffered injuries and/or declined. Some were the Heat front office over-valuing their own development guys and jumping the gun too early. Some players were still very impactful rotation pieces in spurts— especially Whiteside, Lowry and Robinson— but just simply never lived up to the dollar figure that Miami already committed to.

Not every front office decision is going to hit. Some will backfire.

The problem with the ones that don’t pan out, is the team is wasting valuable cap space that could’ve been used elsewhere for win-now talent. Unfortunately, there are several guys on this current Heat roster that have already backfired or will backfire very soon.

Let’s go over some of the present day mistakes that this experienced front office has had to endure financially.

1. Terry Rozier

The clear-cut worst acquisition in the history of the Heat franchise.

Terry Rozier cost Miami a first-round draft pick and nearly $25-$28 million of space wasted on their books. Clearly it’s easy to pin their Rozier mistake on his gambling situation that has kept him away from the team since opening day. The Heat are paying a guy a significant amount of money who hasn’t even suited up in a single game during this 2025-26 campaign.

But even before his off-court saga, Rozier never came even close to playing up to his salary in his time with the Heat. He dealt with injuries, including a mysterious and random neck injury that derailed his first year in Miami. And in the games he has played, he has been a shell of himself from his 24 points per game days with the Charlotte Hornets. Finally, his salary is set to expire and not be the Heat’s problem anymore by the end of this season.

2. Tyler Herro

Tyler Herro was signed to a four-year $120 million extension back in 2023. He did become a first-time All-Star just a year ago, proving what he is capable of when healthy.

But that’s just it. He is never healthy.

In his entire seven-year career since being drafted by the Heat, Herro has had consistent availability in only one of those seven seasons. This year, he has appeared in just 21 games and recently returned from dealing with a rib injury that kept him out for nearly 15 straight games, without any timetable to return. There’s no question that the 26-year-old guard is a talented three-level scoring threat. However, he has barely been able to stay on the court to bring that impact to a Heat team that desperately needs his scoring boost.

Herro is extension eligible again this summer before becoming an unrestricted free agent after the upcoming 2026-27 season. Miami shouldn’t be even remotely interested in committing to Herro’s shaky health concerns any more than they already have.

3. Nikola Jovic

Before the start of this current season, the Heat questionably committed to a four-year extension worth nearly $65 million to Nikola Jovic. Going into the new campaign, Jovic was due for a breakout year. That notion hasn’t been even close to the case here, though.

Jovic is averaging career lows in nearly every statistical category and has looked unplayable for majority of his time on the court during this season.

The timing of his terrible play comes immediately after Miami invested in him, paving a way to be yet another front office blunder. They essentially paid Jovic based on potential alone— despite the fact that he still has a lot to prove performance wise on the court and health wise, too. And with the Heat locked into Jovic for the next four years after his extension kicks in come September, one could only hope that better days are ahead for Niko.

Heat’s investment in these 3 players have backfired this season

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