MIAMI — A Miami Heat roster largely locked in by luxury-tax constraints came together as expected at Saturday’s NBA cutdown deadline.
From the NBA limit of 21 players during the preseason, the Heat trimmed to 14 under standard contract and three under two-way deals.
The moves leave the Heat with an open roster spot, with the Heat lacking comfortable payroll wherewithal to remain under the highly punitive second apron of the luxury tax with the maximum of 15 under standard contract.
Waived Saturday by the Heat were veteran wing Nassir Little, undrafted guards Isaiah Stevens and Zyon Pullin, as well as undrafted center Warren Washington.
The latter three are expected to land with the Heat’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce. There, they will be available to be signed by any NBA team.
“It fits our player-development philosophy,” coach Erik Spoelstra said of moving players to the team’s G League program, “that we get to spend more time with our players and develop them. Sioux Falls is a branch of exactly what we do.
“It also helps the players, where it’s not so transactional.”
Little’s status is less clear, having tried to crack the Heat roster on a non-guaranteed veteran-minimum contract.
Starting the season under standard contract for the Heat will be Bam Adebayo, Thomas Bryant, Alec Burks, Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro, Haywood Highsmith, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Nikola Jovic, Kevin Love, Josh Richardson, Duncan Robinson, Terry Rozier and 2024 draft picks Kel’el Ware and Pelle Larsson.
That leaves the Heat with three newcomers (Burks, Ware, Larsson) from last season’s final roster.
Retained under two-way contracts, which pay half the NBA minimum salary, are Josh Christopher, Keshad Johnson and Dru Smith. Only Smith previously has been with the Heat.
While two-way players are eligible to be on the active roster for up to 50 of the 82 regular-season games, that limitation is somewhat modified with the Heat only carrying 14 under standard contract. The Heat can only activate two-way players a combined 90 times in the games when the standard roster is below 15 players.
The Heat worked through a similar approach last year before filling out the standard roster to the 15-player maximum in the final weeks of the season.
Several players who already had been signed and released by the Heat this offseason are expected to also go to camp with the Skyforce, including Caleb Daniels, Bryson Warren and Malik Williams.
Christopher, Johnson and Smith also are eligible for G League assignment as part of their two-way contracts.
Two-way contracts can be subbed out at any time. Because of his previous five-season NBA tenure, Little was not eligible for a two-way deal.
Spoelstra said additions such as Ware, Larsson, Christopher and Johnson have energized the mix.
“What they have shown as a collective group, as young guys, they’re brought us some talent level that we’ve been able to restock with our roster,” he said. “They’ve given us an exuberance.”
While the NBA’s formal cutdown deadline is 5 p.m. Monday, moves had to be made by 5 p.m. Saturday for players to clear waivers and not have salary count toward 2024-25 payrolls.
The Heat open their 37th season Wednesday at Kaseya Center against the Orlando Magic, seeking to rebound from last season’s 46-36 finish, No. 8 playoff seed and first-round 4-1 playoff ouster at the hands of the Boston Celtics.
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