Heat Nightly
The Biscayne Brief · Morning

Heat Add Ausar, Face Roster Crunch Before Opener

Miami signs Ezra Ausar and heads to Orlando for the preseason finale with a roster that has to get smaller fast.

+23Conwell's plus-minus vs Nets
By the Heat Nightly Desk · Friday, October 16

The Heat added Ezra Ausar to a training camp group that already runs past the regular-season limit, with the preseason finale at Orlando tonight and the October 21 opener against Minnesota two games away. Ryan Conwell's plus-23 night against the Nets and Giannis Antetokounmpo's near triple-double raise the bar for everyone fighting for a spot.

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Illustration by Hoops Nightly.

Ausar Joins Camp

The Heat signed Ezra Ausar on October 16, the latest name added to a camp group that already runs past twenty bodies. Dennis Smith Jr., Gabe Madsen and Kylor Kelley all arrived the same way on October 9; Kelley is already on the injury list with a right calf issue. Spoelstra cannot keep this many names past the October 21 opener.

Finale At Orlando

Miami closes the preseason at the Magic tonight, looking for a third win in four tries after beating the Nets 144-128 on October 14. Orlando is shorthanded too: Anthony Black and Jonathan Isaac are both questionable, and Izaiyah Nelson is sidelined by a left ankle injury.

Conwell Breaks Out

Ryan Conwell scored 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting and finished plus-23 in 24 minutes against the Nets, the best mark on the floor. Giannis Antetokounmpo nearly posted a triple-double at 20 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists on 8-of-10 shooting. Conwell still has to prove it holds once games count.

Bottom Line

This group will not stay this big. Miami needs fifteen names when the games matter, and tonight's finale is the last audition before that call gets made. The open question is who hears the news Spoelstra does not want to deliver before October 21.

Did the Heat sign anyone new this week?

Yes, Miami signed Ezra Ausar on October 16, adding to a camp roster that already includes recent arrivals Dennis Smith Jr., Gabe Madsen and Kylor Kelley.

Who is out for the Magic tonight?

Anthony Black and Jonathan Isaac are both questionable for Orlando, and Izaiyah Nelson is sidelined with a left ankle injury.

By the Heat Nightly Desk, written from the club's data and the reports on file, with every name and number checked against them. How the desks work.

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