Former first-round pick among Heat players waived

The Heat announced Saturday that they had requested waivers for Nassir Little, Zyon Pullin, Isaiah Stevens and Warren Washington.

All four players were in camp with Miami on non-guaranteed contracts. Little had an Exhibit 9 deal, while Pullin, Stevens, and Washington each had Exhibit 10 language in their agreements. That means those latter three are good candidates to land with the Sioux Falls Skyforce, the Heat’s G League affiliate. In contrast, Little — who wouldn’t earn an Exhibit 10 bonus with the Skyforce — may seek another opportunity.

Little is the most notable name in the group. He was a first-round pick in 2019 and has 237 career NBA regular-season appearances under his belt. After spending his first four seasons in Portland, he was traded to Phoenix in last year’s Damian Lillard blockbuster. However, he struggled for his new team, averaging a career-low 3.4 points per game with a .300 3PT% in just 10.2 minutes per game.

Little, who has battled injuries since entering the league and has never played more than 54 games in a season, was waived by the Suns in August with three years and $21.75M left on his contract. He had a chance to make the Heat’s regular-season roster. Still, the odds were against him, given that retaining him into the regular season would have pushed Miami’s team salary above the restrictive second tax apron.

The Heat now have 14 players on standard contracts and three on two-way deals. Barring some last-minute moves for G League purposes, their roster could be set for opening night.