Bench Outscores Starters By Twenty As Payroll Clears Apron

By the Heat Nightly Desk · Friday, October 9

Miami's $210.5 million payroll clears the first-apron threshold, and Saturday's 128-118 win over New Orleans showed early returns: the bench outscored the starters 74-54. Minnesota visits still at 0-0, missing guard Donte DiVincenzo, who is out with a right Achilles issue.

The Payroll Math

Miami carries $210.5 million in salary across 16 contracts, clearing the $209.0 million apron threshold and sitting above the $200.4 million tax line. Giannis Antetokounmpo ($58.5 million), Bam Adebayo ($49.8 million), Andrew Wiggins ($30.2 million on a player option), Nikola Jovic ($16.2 million) and Bobby Portis ($14.5 million) carry the five biggest numbers. That spending buys the roster depth Miami is leaning on early; it does not guarantee the front office avoids the $221.7 million second apron later this season.

Bench Carries The Load

Reserves outscored the Heat's starters 74-54 in Saturday's win over New Orleans. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the starters with 18 points, Andrew Wiggins added 13, Tre Donaldson scored 12 off the bench, Tim Hardaway Jr. added 11, and Myron Gardner and Bobby Portis Jr. each had 11. That balance is real against a Pelicans reserve unit; it says nothing about who closes games once minutes tighten in November.

Giannis In Small Doses

Giannis Antetokounmpo went 8 for 13 from the field for 18 points in just 18 minutes against New Orleans. The efficiency is encouraging in a short preseason look; it is not a usage pattern anyone should expect once the regular-season workload begins.

Wiggins Plus-Minus

Andrew Wiggins finished plus-12 in 15 minutes, hitting 4 of 5 shots including 1 of 1 from three. A clean exhibition line confirms health, not form against a real defense.

Minnesota's Missing Guard

The Timberwolves finished last season 49-33 with a plus-3.1 net rating and a 101.5 pace, a mark that outperformed Miami's own plus-2.1 last season. They arrive Saturday without Donte DiVincenzo, out with a right Achilles issue, and both teams remain 0-0 in games that count. None of Saturday's result changes that.

Is the Heat's payroll over the salary cap?

Yes. Miami carries $210.5 million in salary, clearing the $209.0 million first-apron threshold and sitting above the $200.4 million tax line.

Is Donte DiVincenzo playing against the Heat Saturday?

No. Minnesota's guard is out with a right Achilles issue heading into the preseason matchup.