Q: Great, so more mediocrity. – Tony.
A: This was in response to Tuesday’s news that Precious Achiuwa is being added to the Heat’s camp roster. First, what exactly do you expect of a 15th roster player, particularly when he not only is signing for the veteran minimum, but also a non-guaranteed deal? It is similar to what Thomas Bryant took a day earlier with the Pacers. Essentially, you are talking, at best, about a fourth wheel in the Heat power rotation, behind Bam Adebayo, Kel’el Ware and Nikola Jovic. Plus, remember that Simone Fontecchio played primarily at power forward last season with the Pistons, plus the presence of hulking rookie Vlad Goldin on his Heat two-way contract. Basically, Precious Achiuwa is on a make-good contract, and the best way for him to make good is to not be mediocre. Or else the Heat simply can move on.
Q: Why did the Heat sign Vlad Goldin if they can’t play him? – Anderson.
A: For the reason that many teams sign undrafted prospects to two-way contracts. The fact that such deals count neither toward the salary cap nor the standard roster limit allows for the long view of long-term development. If Vlad Goldin were perceived as being NBA ready, there might have been a standard deal to weigh against his Heat contract. For the Heat, the challenge is to make sure Vlad’s incredible bulk is workable in the NBA. In the meantime, a player such as Precious Achiuwa can eat minutes with a more NBA-ready game. Adding Precious is in no way a Heat indictment on Precious.
Q: Will any of the Heat players carry on Jimmy Butler’s tradition of bringing a crazy hairstyle to media day? – Sam, Miami Lakes.
A: I can assure you that the last thing you will see at media day or even training camp are any Jimmy Butler reminders. It hardly is coincidence that the Heat did not think twice about immediately passing his number along to Andrew Wiggins.
Originally Published: September 25, 2025 at 6:05 AM EDT