Josh Richardson Retires at 32: The End of a Fine NBA Career
Nov 4, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat guard Josh Richardson (0) reacts against the Sacramento Kings during the fourth quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Through an Instagram post accompanied by a slideshow of his best moments, Josh Richardson made his retirement official. With a touch of humor, he ended his message with « Yes, this is indeed a retirement post, » followed by a laughing emoji. At 32, the guard steps away with no bitterness.
« I always gave everything I had, which is why I can say this today with no regrets. I am grateful to have been able to love this sport, and for it to have given just as much back to me. Nothing was ever easy or written in advance for me throughout my career. From high school to college, then as a professional, I humbly worked my tail off every single day to become the best version of myself. To all my fans, coaches, and teammates, I hope I left a good impression and a positive image of who I am », he wrote.
Former Tennessee basketball star Josh Richardson is retiring from basketball.
Richardson spent 10 seasons in the NBA and made $62,342,595 in career earnings according to @spotrac. pic.twitter.com/Hhhhv0WtUH
— Ryan Schumpert (@ryanschumpert00) July 30, 2026
From Second-Round Pick to Key Piece in a Trade Involving Jimmy Butler
Selected 40th overall by the Heat in the 2015 Draft, Josh Richardson was not expected to enjoy a long NBA career. Yet through sheer hard work, he carved out a role in the Miami rotation, fitting right into the tradition of late draft picks that the Heat excel at developing.
His best season remains 2018-2019, when he finished as the Heat‘s leading scorer with an average of 16.6 points per game, even outpacing the returning Dwyane Wade. That performance raised his stock to the point where he became the primary trade piece in the deal sending Jimmy Butler from the Sixers to Miami.
My favorite performance from Josh Richardson while he was the Miami Heat:
37 PTS
5 REB
1 STL
14-22 FGM (64 FG%)
8-11 3PM (73 3P%)
100 FT%Showed out against the KD Warriors, put himself on the map that year. https://t.co/0tNrhitYut pic.twitter.com/8UJLY39bIv
— The HEAT Realm (@WadexFlash) July 30, 2026
The rest of his career took him through a series of stops: Dallas, Boston, San Antonio. Some stays were brief, but they all reflect his ability to remain in the league thanks to his « 3&D » profile. He returned to Miami in 2023, before being traded to Utah in February 2025, without ever suiting up for the Jazz.
A European Stint to Cap a Fine Career
Left without a contract after being waived, Richardson made one last go of it in Europe by joining Casademont Zaragoza in January 2026. But his time in Spain lasted just over a month.
Dwyane Wade on Josh Richardson announcing his retirement:
“The coolest. I loved going into the trenches with you young fella🫡”
(via J-Rich IG) pic.twitter.com/L1fKuv61ME
— The HEAT Realm (@WadexFlash) July 30, 2026
In total, across 554 regular season games, he posted averages of 11.5 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 steal per game, shooting 36.3% from three-point range. No All-Star appearances, no major individual awards, but a career built on sweat and the respect of his peers.
Dwyane Wade paid him a heartfelt tribute: « The coolest. I loved going into battle with you. » A comment that means a great deal for a player who simply had to fight to survive in the NBA jungle.
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