​MIAMI — The flip side of NBA free agency is the waiting game and the painful reminder that sometimes the money runs out.It was amid that reality that Nick Richards last week became the final piece of the Miami Heat’s dramatic offseason makeover, settling for a non-guaranteed contract at the NBA minimum for the chance to line up with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Klay Thompson, Tim Hardaway Jr. and the team’s more acclaimed offseason additions.A starter in the majority of his appearances just two seasons ago, playing time now also stands non-guaranteed in a power rotation that has the 6-foot-11 center behind Antetetokonmpo, Bam Adebayo, Bobby Portis and possibly Nikola Jovic,  at a $3 million salary at the NBA minimum, $2 million less than he earned in each of the three previous seasons.So why the Heat? And why at such a discount amid contract uncertainty that does not have his money guaranteed until the Oct 21 regular-season opener against the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves?Richards, who turned 29 in November, explained Tuesday after a workout at Kaseya Center.“From my standpoint,” he said, “I feel like I’m in the right situation that was best for me. It wasn’t planned how we wanted, from my team’s standpoint, My agency and myself, it wasn’t really what folks planned. But I think we just got to take advantage of the opportunity that I have right now.“We just want to keep moving forward. I’m still going to come in every single day, be myself, do what the team needs me to do, prove myself to the coaching staff and everybody.”Prove-it mode is the only available mode at the moment, the Heat in position to swap out his contact for another player at the veteran minimum at any point prior to the season opener.That leaves the former Kentucky teammate of former Heat guard Tyler Herro in a show-me state when it comes to the preseason, and even in these workout sessions that precede the Sept. 29 start of training camp.“I think that the way that the Heat has been known for, guys that play physical, guys that play hard and play that play their role, I feel like that’s for me,” he said. “I just keep doing that every single day that I’ll just be, I’ll be fine.”Now with a chip on his shoulder, after the rest of the NBA turned a cold shoulder.“I think that there’s a lot of teams that passed up on me that I felt like they should have given me more consideration,” he said. “But they worked their way and I felt like it was just time for me to resolve, ‘You guys were wrong, you should have picked me.’ ”The No. 42 pick in the 2020 NBA draft said he expects additional clarity on a potential role, but already has had discussions with coach Erik Spoelstra.“Me and Spo, we’ve talked a little bit,” he said. “Right now, it’s more, more of a just come in and get great energy every single day, try to be the hardest working on the floor, just try to push myself, push my teammates, be the best teammate as possible and ta