MIAMI — After bypassing personnel moves at the NBA trade deadline two weeks ago, the Miami Heat addressed their roster Wednesday with their first personnel move to their standard roster since the start of the season.

In the wake of solid play as an emergency starter, guard Myron Gardner is being converted from his two-way contract to a standard, three-year deal that will keep him as part of the team’s developmental program. The contract includes conditional guarantees in the second and third seasons, similar to other contracts the Heat have offered to players converted from two-way deals.

Signed to a two-way contract on July 25 after a solid run in the Heat’s summer program, the 6-foot-5 guard fills the vacant 15th and final spot on the Heat’s standard roster.

The move opens a two-way spot on the Heat roster, with the deadline to sign a replacement player on March 4. Such a move, however, is expected to come ahead of the Heat’s resumption of their schedule Friday night in Atlanta against the Hawks after the team’s eight-day All-Star break.

Guard Jahmir Young and center Vlad Goldin hold the Heat’s other current two-way roster spots.

Gardner, who went undrafted out of Arkansas-Little Rock in 2023 and then spent two seasons with the Orlando Magic’s G League affiliate, the Osceola Magic, has appeared in 26 games for the Heat this season, starting four. In 9.8 minutes per game, he is averaging 4.2 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists, shooting .464 from the field and .400 on 3-pointers.

In addition, Gardner has appeared in 10 games for the Heat’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, averaged 15.7 points, 9.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.50 steals in 28 minutes per game, while shooting .445 from the field, .449 on 3-pointer range and .867 from the foul line.

The Heat have the ability to open an additional roster spot on their 15-play standard roster by waiving guard Terry Rozier, who has been on NBA paid leave since the season opener, now facing charges as part of the FBI’s gambling probe.

The shift of Gardner to a standard contract leaves the Heat with enough room under the punitive NBA luxury tax to add another player to the standard contract on a similar pro-rated share of the veteran-minimum salary.

Gardner has been popular in the locker room with his infectious upbeat spirit.

“I don’t know how to like really describe Myron,” Heat center and team captain Bam Adebayo said. “Uh, you just have to hang around him.

“He’s the person that, he just has this kid energy. You know, the kid that runs around all day and you always look at them like, ‘I wish I had that much energy.’ He is that.”

Adebayo added, “When Myron checks in the game, you instantly feel a difference. He’s going to compete. He’s going to play hard. He’s going to defend. He’s going to foul.”

OFFICIAL: The Miami HEAT have signed two-way player Myron Gardner to a Standard NBA Contract. https://t.co/1ftNMgrNyI pic.twitter.com/HokkbHarzD

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) February 18, 2026

Gardner, 24, previously played collegiately at South Plains College Community College in Texas and at Georgetown. His first two professional seasons were spent with the Orlando Magic’s G League affiliate, helping the Osceola Magic to last season’s G League championship series.

“It’s always a positive energy, positive light coming from him, encouraging everybody,” Heat guard Norman Powell said. “He has everybody laughing and joking around. But, I mean, when he steps out there, he goes 125 percent, 150 percent, every single time.”