To say that Nick Richards was a disappointment for the Phoenix Suns would be an understatement, and now the Miami Heat might be about to talk themselves into the same mistake.
Despite remaining unsigned after last playing for the Chicago Bulls, Richards has been working out with a Heat franchise, per The Miami Herald, that is short on center depth. Not that the 28-year-old is the answer, as he proved that no matter how the Suns tried to use him, he was not up to the task of helping a fringe contender win games.
Richards working out in Miami ahead of new season
Richards was underqualified in the starting role Phoenix put him in for 34 games, but that was out of necessity more than anything else. Those were dark days after the departure of Deandre Ayton and when everybody from Mason Plumlee to Drew Eubanks passed through. Richards was supposed to be a clear upgrade over both of those one-year failures, but even as a backup, he was not able to have the desired impact.
Coming off the bench made sense, but the reality is Richards is neither skilled enough to bamboozle defenders with his footwork nor physical enough to bully the scariest centers across the league. Perhaps if he had a consistent 3-point shot and was able to be used as a stretch four from time to time, things could have been different, but that has never happened and will never happen.
This has led the Heat to seriously consider bringing him in for next season. Doing so would repeat the mistakes of the Suns' past, trying their best to fortify their roster with cheap re-threads.
Whisper it quietly, but even Klay Thompson is heading to South Beach likely two years too late. You can put Richards in the same boat, and the Suns trying to correct course with a subsequent trade proves this point.
Phoenix added injury-prone Mark Williams to fix Richards mistake
Rather than fully buying into Richards, the Suns called the Charlotte Hornets to acquire Richards’ one-time teammate, Mark Williams, to land a clear upgrade at center. A bigger and more skilled big, for sure, but one whose own injury history made him a risk. Even then, he is a clear step up from Richards during his time in Phoenix.
It is funny to watch rival organizations fall into the same traps the Suns were guilty of only a few short years ago.
Trading for a superstar, perhaps past his best days, and then having to fill in the gap with cheap and available options. Richards was all of that and more, and if he does sign with the Heat, he will be gone by the deadline this coming season.
You heard it here first.
Add us as a preferred source on Google