The Miami Heat got a headstart on trimming down their roster on December 16 by waiving two promising young players. Coach Erik Spoelstra‘s camp squad is now down to 18 after the release of undrafted guard Breein Tyree and international prospect Paul Eboua.
After going undrafted in 2020, Tyree had signed with the Heat on November 25. A former guard at Ole Miss, the two-time ALL-SEC player helped lead the Rebels to the 2019 NCAA Tournament. He led the team in scoring through his junior and senior year, averaging 17.9 points per game and hitting 37.5% from a 3-point distance, as reported by the Clarion Ledger.
GettyBreein Tyree #4 of the Mississippi Rebels handles the ball in the first half against the Oklahoma Sooners during the first round of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.
Fun fact: If the 22-year-old’s name sounds familiar, it’s because the 6-foot-2, 195-pound baller’s cousin is former New York Giants star, David Tyree, who caught the insane “helmet catch” during Super Bowl 42.
As for Eboua, 20, the 6’8 forward grew up in Douala, Cameroon, played the last three season in Italy. Shortly after playing on loan with the Lega Basket Serie A team VL Pesaro, where he finished the season averaging 7.4 points with 5.3 rebounds per game, he declared for the NBA Draft in 2020.
Eboua had signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Heat on November 25.
The Heat Still Needs to Waive 1 More Player Before the Regular Season Starts
GettyMax Strus #31 of the DePaul Blue Demons dribbles the ball while being guarded by Markus Howard #0 of the Marquette Golden Eagles in the first half at the Fiserv Forum on January 23, 2019.
While Miami is cleaning house to solidify their team for the 2020-2021 season, they still have to release one more player, as they can only have 15 players under standard contracts, and two two-way players who are regulated to playing a maximum of 50 games with the newly instated shortened pandemic 72-game season.
The big question on everyone’s mind: Who’s the next player to go?
After the release of Tyree and Eboua, it seems likely that it’ll come down to Gabe Vincent competing against BJ Johnson and Max Struss for the two two-way spots, according to Sun Sentinal‘s Ira Winderman.
The Heat’s upcoming final preseason game will give players one more chance to impress and secure a spot on the team. The last preseason game is scheduled to place on December 18 against the Toronto Raptors. The Heat roster must be solidified before the team’s first regular-season game against the Orlando Magic at the Amway Center on December 23.
There are 15 Heat Players Squared Away With Guaranteed Contracts
While the competition for a roster spot remains tight, the following 15 players can rest easy knowing their contracts are secure for the upcoming season. However, which players will be named as starters has not yet been revealed.
Players signed and ready to roll for the 2020-2021 season are the following: Jimmy Butler, Goran Dragic, Tyler Herro, Udonis Haslem, Precious Achiuwa, Bam Adebayo, Avery Bradley, Maurice Harkless, Kendrick Nunn, Andre Iguodala, Meyers Leonard, KZ Okpala, Kelly Olynyk, Duncan Robinson and Chris Silva.
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Miami Heat Cleans House: Waives 2 Top Prospects From Roster