The Miami Heat may be a certified championship contender, but that status doesn't hold the same weight for everyone when it comes to their desire to play for the franchise, as former Northwestern basketball standout Chase Audige turned down an Exhibit 10 contract in order to go to a team where he had a better chance of making the roster (per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald).
Audige, the 2023 Big Ten Co-Defensive Player of the Year, is a 6-foot-4 and 200-pound combo guard that averaged 14.1 points, 2.9 assists, 2.4 steals and 0.6 blocks per game last season. Those numbers underscore his two-way upside, though his career field goal percentage (38.9) and career 3-point percentage (32.5) point to a player whose offense lags behind his defensive output.
That isn't to say that Audige is an offensive liability though, as his athleticism, playmaking, confidence and a decent shooting stroke allow him to make a respectable impact on that end.
A three-star prospect when leaving The Hill School (Pottstown, PA), Audige has already exceeded expectations up to this point. With that in mind, perhaps he can latch on to a team that has an open two-way roster spot, or even one available on their 15-man roster.
His 3-point efficiency will need to improve but his skillset isn't too far off from a player like Philadelphia 76ers veteran Patrick Beverley. Beverley is a career 37.5 percent 3-point shooter. However, though he's only made 33.9 percent of his threes over the past two seasons, he's still played a significant role Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Lakers, and Chicago Bulls in that time.
While Beverley is obviously a more proven defender, Audige also has a three-inch and 20-pound weight advantage on the three-time All-Defensive selection, making one wonder just how high his defensive ceiling could be.