Devin Carter: Miami Heat's Waiver Decision on a Familiar Name

The Miami Heat have never been shy about betting on bloodlines. From sons of former players to prospects whose families know the hallways of Kaseya Center by heart, the franchise leans into familiarity when it sees an edge.

Devin Carter fits that profile almost too neatly.

His father, Anthony Carter, carved out the first four seasons of his 13-year NBA career in Miami, a hard-nosed guard who embodied the franchise’s grind before later returning as an assistant coach. He’s now on the Grizzlies’ bench, but his imprint in Miami remains fresh.

Now comes the question: should the Heat take a swing on the son?

As Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel notes in a subscriber mailbag, the organization’s history with legacy players makes Carter an obvious name to monitor once he clears waivers. The ties are strong. The decision, though, is anything but sentimental.

Devin Carter arrived in the league with real momentum. Coming out of Providence, he was viewed as a promising guard prospect, energetic and competitive, the kind of player who typically gets at least a few years of runway to figure things out. Sacramento thought enough of him to take him 13th overall in the 2024 draft.

That shine has faded quickly.

Since entering the league, Carter has been hit by multiple injuries, the kind that don’t just stall development but force front offices to ask uncomfortable questions about durability and long-term upside. Two teams have already answered those questions with a no. Both the Kings and the Hawks decided they didn’t want him on their 2026/27 rosters.

For a lottery pick, that’s a harsh verdict in a short span.

This is where Miami’s calculus changes. The Heat have long prided themselves on their ability to revive careers, reshape bodies, and squeeze value out of players other teams move on from. But they do it with information, not nostalgia.

Winderman points out that the background on Carter’s injuries will be central to any serious evaluation. Miami will want to know not just what happened, but why. Are these fluke setbacks, or signs of a body that may not hold up to the demands of their famously unforgiving conditioning program?

If the medicals check out, the fit on paper is intriguing. A once-promising guard with defensive potential, a competitive edge, and a family history in the building is exactly the sort of reclamation project the Heat have turned into rotation pieces before.

If they don’t, the name and the history won’t save him.

For now, Devin Carter sits in that gray zone between pedigree and risk, a familiar surname waiting to see whether Miami’s belief in its culture extends to one more second chance.