MIAMI – As the Miami Heat went winless in the preseason, the first time since 2007, the team would end up making some cuts to clear some room ahead of the opener. With the Heat opening the season next Wednesday against the Orlando Magic, one of the cuts they made was to former first-round pick Precious Achiuwa.
During the preseason, Miami had a maximum of 21 players but needed to get down to 18 by the regular season opener, which included 15 players and three on a two-way contract. Along with Ethan Thompson, Dain Dainja and Bez Mbeng, Achiuwa is likely the most surprising one for fans who were awaiting to see the reunion between the two, as the first stint lasted a season after being selected in the 2020 NBA Draft.
However, the second tenure was even shorter, as Achiuwa signed a non-guaranteed contract with Miami under a month ago and had been with the team through training camp and the preseason. He played in four preseason games, logging inconsistent minutes like playing 19 on Oct. 12 against the Magic, but just nine on the 13th facing the Atlanta Hawks.
While it was a cheaper contract with Achiuwa being a $2.3 million cap hit, the move was made more so since waiving him before the start of the regular season, the team will now be $1.6 million below the luxury tax line.
Jahmir Young was not cut and is said to be the likely third two-way contract spot, as ClutchPoints learned.
Heat's Erik Spoelstra speaks on how tough roster cuts are
While fans finalize their bold predictions for the Heat's upcoming season, the team itself is putting in final preparations for the slate. This also includes the front office, who had to make the required cuts to get to the regular season maximum of 18 players, which head coach Erik Spoelstra said “it's always tough” having those conversations.
“We try to communicate that as much upfront as possible,” Spoelstra said after the 141-125 preseason loss to Memphis on Friday. “It always is tough for a player to manage that, translate it in the moment, but it's a transition, and I think guys now, they come to us, they understand what our player development program is, and when you go to Sioux Falls, it literally is an extension of what we do here as the lifeblood of our player development. So I think that's been communicated better, but it's always tough when you have to have those conversations.”
Erik Spoelstra on the impending roster cuts with the Monday deadline to get from the preseason maximum of 21 to the regular season maximum of 18.
“We try to communicate that as much upfront as possible…it’s always tough when you have to have those conversations…” #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/0IfqO1JyDv
— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) October 18, 2025
At any rate, Miami looks to improve after finishing with a 37-45 record, which put them 10th in the Eastern Conference. As said before, the Heat open the season next Wednesday in Orlando.
