Heat pull off surprise reunion with former player

Sep 22, 2017; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat president Pat Riley address reporters during a press conference at AmericanAirlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

The Miami Heat are not sitting around feeling sorry for themselves after losing Gabe Vincent in free agency.

Shams Charania of The Athletic reported on Friday that veteran swingman Josh Richardson has agreed to return to the Heat. Richardson will be getting a two-year deal from Miami (with a player option in the second year).

The 29-year-old Richardson, drafted by the Heat in 2015, was very well-liked in South Beach. Nicknamed “Rook 2” (fellow 2015 draftee Justise Winslow was “Rook 1”), Richardson became an unlikely success story. He led Miami in scoring in the 2018-19 season with 16.6 points per game (also contributing 3.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.1 steals per game). Richardson was then dealt to the Philadelphia 76ers as part of the sign-and-trade that brought Jimmy Butler to the Heat. Miami has since made two NBA Finals appearances with Butler at the controls … and now get Richardson back anyway while he is still in his 20s.

Richardson has had much less success for five different teams since getting traded by the Heat (most recently averaging 7.5 points a game off the bench for the New Orleans Pelicans last year). But he was always a strong culture fit in Miami and may be a good backup plan in case this guy is let go soon.

The Heat just lost their breakout playoff star Vincent to a West Coast team in free agency. But Richardson now returns to South Beach, as does Kevin Love, who is reportedly back with the Heat on a new deal.