Heat makes expected cuts to set roster. Also, what Garrett and Martin bring on two-way deals

Roster cut-down day was different for the Miami Heat this year.

The Heat has used past cut-down days to award at least one of its two-way contracts to a deserving developmental prospect who impressed during the preseason. The team announced Max Strus’ two-way contract last year just before the deadline, and did the same with two-way deals for Chris Silva and Daryl Macon in 2019.

But the moves Miami made on Friday night were merely a formality, as the Heat waived the four Exhibit 10 players, Micah Potter, Javonte Smart, Dru Smith and D.J. Stewart, as expected. They all first joined the organization for summer league in August, spent the entire preseason with the Heat and are now expected to move to the organization’s G League affiliate.

Heat showed glimpses of team plan in preseason finale. Takeaways from win over Celtics

“I think it speaks a lot to them and the impression they’ve been able to make on everybody,” coach Erik Spoelstra said of Potter, Smart, Smith and Stewart sticking with the Heat since summer league. “That’s what you want young players to do with your organization. It should be a symbiotic relationship. Hopefully we’re helping them achieve what they wanted to achieve and they’re helping us. Hopefully the environment brings out the best in them.”

NBA teams have a 5 p.m. Monday deadline to cut rosters to the regular-season maximum of 15 players, which does not include those under two-way contracts. Because of the 48-hour waiver period, teams had to make those moves by 5 p.m. Saturday.

The Heat opens the regular season on Thursday against the defending NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks. Miami closed a 5-1 preseason with Friday’s 121-100 win over the Boston Celtics at FTX Arena.

The Heat, which carried the preseason maximum of 20 players before Friday’s cuts, will enter the regular season with 14 players on standard contracts — one below the NBA limit — in part to avoid crossing the luxury tax threshold: Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler, Dewayne Dedmon, Udonis Haslem, Tyler Herro, Kyle Lowry, Markieff Morris, KZ Okpala, Victor Oladipo, Duncan Robinson, Max Strus, P.J. Tucker, Gabe Vincent and Omer Yurtseven.

Miami also already filled both of its two-way contract spots by locking in guard Marcus Garrett and wing Caleb Martin prior to the start of the training camp.

Potter, Smart, Smith and Stewart are expected to remain within Miami’s developmental program as part of its G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce. Exhibit 10 deals come with guarantees up to $50,000 if those players choose to play in the G League for the Skyforce.

“We truly do feel that this is a transition,” Spoelstra said. “These guys are still a part of our program and this is the whole point, to develop them. It was not just supposed to be summer league, summer, preseason, training camp. It was meant to be continued. We really value our program there. It’s a pipeline for us and we really look forward to watching these guys continue to get better.”

One of the primary reasons that the Heat’s move to release Potter, Smart, Smith and Stewart was inevitable is because there’s no open two-way contract spot on the roster. Miami signed Garrett, an undrafted guard out of Kansas, to a two-way deal on Sept. 1 and Martin, a wing with two years of NBA experience, to a two-way contract on Sept. 14.

Garrett, 22, arrived to the Heat as an accomplished defensive force on the college level, as he was named the Naismith National Defensive Player of the Year as a junior and finished as a finalist for the award last season. At 6-5 and 205 pounds, his wingspan has been measured at 6-10.

Garrett’s defense did not disappoint as a member of the Heat’s summer league this year, as he averaged 3.3 steals and 0.8 blocks in his four full summer league games.

“He made you watch right from the get-go,” Spoelstra said. “His presence on the ball. It seemed like every game, we were starting the game with a deflection or a steal to set the tone for the game. That’s the kind of versatility, size, quickness, disruptiveness that he brings to the table. This is a different level of everything for him and I think it’s just really good for him.”

Garrett was limited to just three preseason games because of lower back spasms. He totaled seven points on 3-of-5 shooting from the field and made his only three-point attempt, five rebounds, six assists and one steal in 22 preseason minutes.

The next step in Garrett’s development will be growing his offensive game and improving his outside shot after he made 30.2 percent of his threes during his four-year college career. He knows he can make an immediate impact on defense, but noted that “shooting, reading and learning how to run the team” has been a focus for him in the Heat’s program.

As for the 26-year-old Martin, his defense is also ahead of his offense. But he brings NBA experience to one of the Heat’s two-way contract slots after playing on a standard contract with the Charlotte Hornets in each of the past two seasons.

In four preseason games with the Heat, Martin (6-5, 205) averaged 7.3 points while shooting 36.7 percent from the field and 3 of 10 on threes, 2.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 17.6 minutes. He also came up with two steals and blocked four shots.

“He has been a highly active, energetic disruptive player, and that’s going back to college,” Spoelstra said. “In his opportunities in Charlotte, we really respected him and liked how he played. He competes on the defensive end. He has the positional size and quickness, and the commitment on that side of the floor. You can build the rest of it after that.”

Martin shot 31 of 125 from deep last season (24.8 percent), but has the potential to be a helpful option off Miami’s bench if he can improve his outside shooting.

“Obviously, just bringing good energy, playing defense and being active,” Martin said of the positive feedback he has received from Heat coaches. “They like the fact that I can get in passing lanes and I’m long and athletic and don’t give up on plays. So I just want to continue to be that guy that they can rely on to give the extra effort and also continue to work on my offense and get more comfortable playing my style of offense. Finding ways to create and get to the basket, and obviously hit open shots when I have opportunities.”

Under two-way deals this season, Garrett and Martin can be on the Heat’s active list for as many as 50 regular-season games. They can also be sent to the Skyforce for further development in the G League.

“I’m just approaching it as the opportunity comes,” Martin said. “I just want to play my minutes and play the best I can. Ultimately, I’m here to do the things I need to do to help us win, whether it’s preseason or regular season or playoffs. I’m here to do my job and that’s for me to do it on both ends.”

With preseason complete and the Heat’s roster for the regular season now set, the countdown to Thursday’s opener is on.