It’s roster cut time.
With the Miami Heat needing to trim their roster to 15, they officially waived forward Precious Achiuwa, Ira Winderman first reported after the Heat’s preseason finale Friday.
Drafted No. 20 overall by the Heat in 2020, Achiuwa was signed in September to compete for a backup big spot behind Bam Adebayo and Kel’el Ware. He signed a one-year, non-guaranteed deal — essentially an Exhibit 10 — that would’ve become guaranteed on opening night, which would have put them over the tax.
It was a low-risk move, but Achiuwa significantly underwhelmed in preseason. He did not play in Friday’s finale against the Memphis Grizzlies, which was largely a dress rehearsal ahead of next week’s opener.
In preseason, he averaged 4.8 points and 5.2 rebounds on 41.2 percent shooting and 71.4 percent from the free-throw line. He was active on the glass, but largely didn’t impact the game in minutes against opposing teams’ bench units and 3rd stringers.
He didn’t do enough to justify guaranteeing his contract. It remains unknown if Achiuwa — like most who are cut from their respective teams — will spend time in the G-League.
Heat waived 3 other Exhibit 10 players, leaving one potential option open for two-way:
The Heat also waived Ethan Thompson, Dain Dainja and Bez Mbeng, the organization’s latest Exhibit 10 signee, on Friday.
Former Maryland guard Jahmir Young appears to be the leading candidate for the team’s third-and-final two-way spot. Entering Friday, Young was averaging 9.7 points, 2.7 assists and 1.7 steals on 41.7 percent shooting and 3-of-6 from 3-point range in preseason.
Myron Gardner and undrafted rookie Vlad Goldin fill Miami’s other two-way spots.
Young, 25, has spent time in the Nuggets and Bulls’ organizations after being undrafted in 2024. In the G-League last season, he averaged 21.7 points, 7.1 assists and 1.9 steals on 56.2 percent true shooting.
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Magic +8.5 point favorites vs Heat
Orlando front court players:
Banchero: 6’10″Wagner: 6’10″Wagner: 6’11″Carter: 6’10″Bitadze: 6’11″Isaac: 6’10”
Heat front court players:
Ware 7’0″Bam: 6’9″Jovic 6’10”
Yardbarker 10/20/25
…”Maybe this is a little harsh when trying to evaluate the season in a larger scope, but one thing is clear: the Heat can’t afford to have another season of constant injuries. Maybe that’s the case for all teams, but it just seems that this Heat team is built to stay above water when having their core together for an extended period of time.
They’re a guard injury away from losing scoring. A big man injury away from double digit minutes from their two-way Vlad Goldin. And a wing injury away from playing three guard lineups for good.”…
we might not have the best team but we have the best coach.so spos worth how many wins just on his great coaching
Maybe 5? In other words, I think if he coached the wizards or the jazz, they might win 5-8 more games, but no coach could turn them into a contender. As with any sport, if you don’t have the right horses, you’re going to be a trotter at best. Or sent to the glue factory.
I thought coaches have nothing to do with outcomes. It all comes down to players. I’m confused.
these are confusing times lol
More for some than others.
i was being sarcastic football coaches matter,bball dont..if rc follows sports he should know that.sunman do u think coaches matter in bball.think u follow football to rc obviously does.i dont even know the name of the coach of okc .but hes better than spo i guess .looked what happened to us in cleve playoffs.top 15 coach with lbj wade bosh etc hfl might have been top 10 and been usa olympics coach.i would have hired sunman to pick the top 15 guys.manila to cheer them to victory.rc to make sure we didnt go over the apron .30 to find faults with my squad.what a great staff guarantee usa gold
I have followed sports for a very very long time – baseball, football, basketball. Coaching is important in all of them. The difference is basketball is quicker than the other sports, similar to hockey where you can have the same argument. In football, there is a gap after every play, allowing obvious signal calling from the sidelines. Basketball coaches are constantly calling plays with hand signals. And the coaching is important in training and practice sessions in preparation of each game. If you don’t understand that, you are the one that’s missing something.
#sarcasm?
w/o the worse defensive player in the nba the pistons will find that out we will be so much better guarding.with a top 10 worse defensive player off the ct for now we are forgetting how much better our d will be.thats gonna matter alot rc sun mark my word..no weak links on d matters.detroit is so friggin athletic with cats like thompson duren ivey when they see dunc guarding i want to see how they will fell about unc after about 20 games.
Duncan is a pretty bad defender, but he was never the worst or in the bottom 10. You go by only your dislike for a player on our team and realistically are not fully aware of all 300+ players and who might be worse. That is personal bias, not conclusions based on facts. And don’t ask me to name names again – been there done that.
The Memphis Grizzlies had not won a preseason game until they beat Miami on Friday. Jus sayin…
pre season means nada.a starting 5 of dav norm wiggy ware bam is dam good besides ny name some eastern teams that are clearly better.its that bench thats keeping me up at night
Good defensively. Not so good offensively. Could use an alpha PG and a top notch third big to be competitive.
If Herro could somehow change his mindset from SG to PG he could be that alpha player. His ceiling is pretty much capped at SG. He has much higher ceiling at PG. His defense is average now, not as bad as when he started. Surely better than players such as Morant, Young and a few others I can think of.
Then, all Miami would need is a solid back-up PF/C. There are a few teams that are lacking guards and have an abundance of front court players.
A starting 5 of Herro, Powell, Wiggins, Bam and Ware would be very good, if Herro fully embraces a PG role and the team’s defensive schemes can cover his shortcomings. Mitchell as back-up and closing PG works for me. Heat still would have several choices available to fill out the rotation.
NBA Survival Guide: Best- and worst-case scenarios for all 30 teams in 2025-26(Yahoo Sports)
~ Miami Heat ~
Best-case scenario:
Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro and Norman Powell form the foundation of a competitive team. Maybe not one that can contend. But competitiveness is key, and they always seem to have it in Miami. That competitiveness is contagious, and the Heat enjoy the fruits in the form of progression from more than one of Kasparas Jakučionis, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez and Nikola Jović. They are more than just prospects. They are pieces that can both help the Heat win games in the near-term and sweeten any pot for whenever the next superstar becomes available.
If everything falls apart:
The defense craters in the long-term absence of Jimmy Butler. The offense is no better, even in the presence of Powell, and the Heat are just meh. That meh extends to the younger generation, and there is little more than mediocrity from Jakučionis, Ware, Jaquez and Jović. Maybe they make another play-in tournament. Maybe they get a lottery pick out of the deal. But it’s not a group that inspires a superstar to say, “Hey, I’ve been wanting to play in Miami, and now’s the time. I could win a championship with that roster.”
https://www.yahoo.com/sports/nba/article/nba-survival-guide-best–and-worst-case-scenarios-for-all-30-teams-in-2025-26-175854576.html
Achiuwa was always an insurance, nothing more. In case of injury, there will be him or others of his kind always available to fill the hole. This is not really a problem.
The real problem is, that the team, which should use the defense as the main strength, got 140 points, at home, from bench players playing for opposite team.
Its clear, that Heat only got chance to win a single game, if the opponent team score 115 points or less.
I m not even go into rebounding, because this is painfully to watch for years now. Heat sucks in rebounding.
Not happy at all. Playing like that, this is the worst team in the league.
question: do you agree of a mediocre to downright awful season to prep for 2027 all out shopping for a superstar or two?
all ss are getting locked up the day of lebron saying im taking my taelnts are over.rc knows about that stuff but with new cba things have changed.you have to trade for one and who do we have besides bam and ware that might get u one.were in a bad position now i think the only way to get really good is to tank like okc hous did and suk for 3-5 years.or stay mediocre and enjoy e reid and rcs postings 82 times ayear.i choose the latter.suking for that many years i would miss rcs postings
Well, okay, thanks. Stop trying to butter me up. But what you wrote is true. I’d like to see how the beginning of the season goes. No matter what, I’m glad bb is back. However, I believe we have gathered tradable assets that can bring back draft picks and clear cap space at the trade deadline if things go badly. Some more bad news is our first round pick belongs to OKC, and it is unprotected so they may have a top 10 or top 5 pick, as if they need it.
Thank you. Gathered some misinformation on google there.
np
brett barry came out of retirement?
😑
i was trying to think of who the heat signed i was hoping for pa
guess what? the last time Heat went winless in preseason games they were 15-67 that season! scary…
Instead of tanking this past season where the talent in the draft won’t be as good next year as it was this year. No cooper, vj, Bailey tre Johnson Dylan Harper in next years draft. Guys Ware is used to playing with in the aau circuits (a reason he slacks off here cause he sees the heat don’t have such players I just named) But hey it’s “heat culture” not to tank but be in the playin and sneak in the playoffs is the way every year.
Also read about the 27’ draft lmfao, but I thought this was the gap year. It’s getting embarrassing atp it really is, no superstar is coming through that door in FA.
hey a competitive team with e reid and rcs posts works for me.i am 100% certain the heat cant win it all but be a very competitive team.but i will enjoy the dolcotones of e reid and the posts of rc and his buddys big and 30 every night..manilas a great heat fan but just a glorified cheerleader.of course cant forget about the post game write up of sunman winderman the best recap of any so fla or sanidegoan reporter hands down .be more fun if the man from sun would hang with me and rc big 30 live during the game but he doesnt like commercials.waste of suns time.
You also wanted them to make the playoffs last year so you could contd watching more heat basketball all to the tune of them getting absolutely destroyed by the Cavs
I believe you are mistaken about the talent in the 2026 draft class.
The 2026 draft class is anticipated to have more top-end, franchise-caliber talent at the very top, with players like Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer and others considered among the best prospects.
The 2025 class, while solid, was viewed as being shallower at the top compared to 2026 and noted for having more depth in the mid-to-late first round but less in the second round. A key difference is the higher number of elite prospects who chose to return to college for 2025-26, boosting the 2026 class’s overall talent and depth.
If the season gets off to a bad start, it would still not be too late to have a fire sale and to tank in 2025-2026 (which is considered a “Gap Year” to begin with).
Miami could possibly get first round picks for players such as Wiggins, Powell and possibly Herro (to go with their own 2026 lottery pick) as well as second rounders for some of the other players.
If Riley doesn’t pull the trigger soon to upgrade the roster, he may need to pull the trigger the other way and tank it up. Time will tell.
So we’re screwed for now in the size in rebounding department.
big time big need a big guy from anywhere big.u big enough your right here in the 305 big
I’m ready, they just gotta gimme the call, even though I’ll be a C the size of dru smith.
theres a big on the way im 100% sure about that if not rileys clueless
wow thats surprising move there cutting precious.gotta be another move coming here for a big,jovic is tall yes powerful rugged no.i mean u cant have both bam and ware on the bench at same time.if u have only one on the ct whos your pf c type answer nobody.shnozic is so fragile anyways gotta be another move coming for a pf c type.
I don’t anticipate another signing. The move put the team back under the luxury tax, so the only way to stay under is to not sign a veteran. What I wonder is if there is a wink-wink deal to bring back Precious later on a prorated contract.
If Riley has no Plan B for the front court other than Jovic, this season is doomed before it starts. One of Miami’s major shortcomings is rebounding and Riley has done absolutely nothing to correct that. It’s almost as though he is intentionally trying to tank the team’s season while pretending to be competitive. Is it time for the Godfather to retire?
*One of Miami’s major shortcomings is rebounding*
That is a diplomatic understatement. It’s been exasperating, with flashbacks of last season’s ineptitude. So many lost possessions and lost games because of it. You are 100% right that it has to be fixed. And you, hfl , and others are right that Jovic, at least right now, is not the answer. He has to ratchet up to at least 6-7 rpg, 6apg, and 12ppg consistently. That would help.
If he trying to tank, he should of did it last year. If we go the whole season without a legitimate back up big, and don’t get a top 5-10 pick, then he need to retire.
WHAT IS RILEY’S PLAN B?
If this is the last move Miami makes for a while, It’s almost as though Riley is waiting for the first opportunity/injury to either go over the cap to bring in a legitimate back-up center/power forward -OR- have a fire sale in order to accumulate as many assets as possible prior to a full blown “restructuring” next summer.
It would more likely be the latter. I don’t see them putting themselves back into the luxury tax.
Penalties: Being a repeater taxpayer results in significantly higher financial penalties and restrictions on team-building strategies compared to a non-repeater tax
u know mickeys one of the richest man in the world
Has nothing to do with it! There are penalties beyond the money that , as you can infer above, impact team building. And draft picks. You are not interested in understanding the cap and apron issues, and that’s fine. But that doesn’t make them go away. They’re real and can be egregious.
Arison/Riley are trying to walk the fine line between marginal competitiveness and profitability. It ain’t working. Miami fans are paying premium prices for a mediocre product.
It could get worse with the repeater tax that seriously affects draft picks. If this team was one A player away from truly contending, maybe, but they’re not.
That’s why obvious choice is a fire sale and tanking. Keep the young ones and trade the rest or allow their contracts to expire. Only possible exception is Powell if he performs well this year and is available for $77M/3 years. Herro, Rozier, Wiggins, Fontecchio, etc., all gone.
Core: Mitchell, Powell, Jovic, Bam, Ware
Smith, Jakucionis, Larsson, Jaquez.
I agree that may be the best way to go.
if bam or ware are on the bench u got 1 big and 4 midgets in the game(jovic is as soft as they come).very perplexing move i think they bring achiuwas back like rc says or trade tyler for somebody with excess pf/cs
They may only have to wait a month or so to do that and still stay out of the penalty. From what I’ve seen so far, Vlad is not the answer. Dain actually looks more NBA ready.
Dain was released today.
Right, and likely headed for the SkyForce.
Another long term project. Miami needed someone yesterday. Otherwise, Heat going to need to sacrifice someone/something to bring in 1-2 bigs. There are several teams with a plethora of bigs.
Yes, I wasn’t suggesting he was ready, just that he looked quicker and more athletic than Vlad. Let’s hope Rozier keeps showing he can still be a good backup for some teams so becomes more tradable.
Achiuwa is not the answer. Why did no other NBA team sign him? Why did Miami release him? Riley trying to get by on the cheap and it ain’t working.
what if real plan is to sell the franchise? lol Vegas Heat!
San Diego Heat has a better ring to it but I think Seattle is #1 team on NBA’s preferred list Vegas #2 and maybe Vancouver #3.
If we don’t get another big man then I am lowering my prediction for this season. I said 42-40 before, now I’m more 38-44 if no other changes happen. It’s hard to feel highly optimistic with the preseason we had and our roster. We aren’t going to be terrible, but not good either.
lots of factors not just a big man issue but that’s major. they’re trying new plays, breaking in new faces, mix and match of players, combinations. im expecting first 20 games to be ugly.
The only player the Heat paid a contract extension this year was Jovic. Now they’re releasing Precious, who would have been the 4th big man, behind Bam, Ware, and Jovic.
Feels like the Heat are displaying a lot of confidence in Jovic right now. I’m all in. I hope he balls out this season.
It also looks like they’re also displaying a lot of confidence that neither Bam nor Ware will be injured any time soon, since Riley has made absolutely no provision for a solid back-up or two. Jovic is not an interior front court player. He’s a point forward better suited for SF. If either Bam or Ware goes down for any significant period of time, Miami will be well on their way to a fire sale and a rebuild.
That seems right. They put a lot of their hopes upon Nico. Time will tell.
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