The Miami Heat have made a strategic roster move as they gear up for the postseason, converting guard Jahmir Young from a two-way contract to a standard NBA deal. This promotion comes just hours after the team waived veteran guard Terry Rozier, opening up a crucial spot on the 15-man roster.
Young's new contract covers the remainder of this season and the next, though it is not fully guaranteed for the 2025-26 campaign. The immediate and most significant impact of this move is playoff eligibility. Unlike two-way players, those on standard contracts can be included on a team's postseason roster, a vital consideration as the Heat prepare for a win-or-go-home play-in game against the Charlotte Hornets next week.
The 25-year-old guard has earned this opportunity through a standout season with the Sioux Falls Skyforce, the Heat's G League affiliate. His performance there was so impressive he was named to the All-G League Second Team and even earned an invitation to the NBA's Rising Stars event during All-Star Weekend. After going undrafted out of Maryland in 2024, Young spent time with Denver and Chicago's G League teams before signing a tryout deal with Miami last summer, which was later converted to the two-way contract he has now outgrown.
This promotion is particularly timely given the Heat's current backcourt situation. In their recent victory over the Washington Wizards, guards Tyler Herro, Norman Powell, Davion Mitchell, and Dru Smith were all sidelined. Young saw a brief minute of action in that game, and while his stat line was quiet, his potential and hard work have clearly caught the eye of the coaching staff, including head coach Erik Spoelstra, who has praised his development this season.
With Young's elevation, the Heat's other two-way players, Vlad Goldin and Trevor Keels, will be ineligible to play after the regular-season finale this Sunday. The team also cannot sign a replacement two-way player, as the deadline has passed. For Jahmir Young, this represents a hard-earned step up and a chance to contribute to the Heat's playoff push, adding another chapter to Miami's reputation for developing overlooked talent.