Heat waive five players, Rodney McGruder makes final roster

The Miami Heat have waived Briante Weber, Beno Udrih, Okaro White, Vashil Fernandez and Luis Montero today, which means guard Rodney McGruder has made the regular season roster.

The team had to make several cuts by the 5:00pm deadline to their training camp roster of 20 players down to 15. Most of these players will likely be signed to the Sioux Falls Skyforce, the Heat’s NBA D-League affiliate team, if they clear the 48-hour waiver period.

Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel first reported that the Heat waived Weber and has more on the current Heat salary cap situation.

Unless Udrih is claimed, the Heat will absorb a $980,000 cap hit, with Udrih to walk away with a guaranteed $1.6 million in salary. Udrih gave up $90,000 in salary last season when he was waived due to injury by the Heat, allowing the team to add Weber, Joe Johnson and Dorell Wright for the postseason roster.

Weber received a $328,000 2016-17 guarantee from the Heat. Because of that payment due, it is expected he first would clear waivers before being contacted by another NBA team. The Heat met with Weber on Saturday and encouraged him to return to the team's D-League affiliate.

The Heat sent out a press release at 4pm, one hour before the deadline to officially announce the waiving of the five players.

Fernandez, who was signed as a free on October 17, appeared in two preseason games with the HEAT totaling three points, one rebound and a steal in 14:38 minutes of action.

Montero, who was signed as a free agent on October 18, appeared in two preseason games with Miami, totaling nine points, three rebounds, three steals, one assist and one block in 18:48 minutes of action.

Udrih, who re-signed with the HEAT as a free agent on August 17, appeared in four preseason games (one start), and averaged 3.3 points and 2.0 assists in 13.6 minutes per game. He also played in 36 games (five starts) for the HEAT last season.

Weber, a free agent who signed with the HEAT on April 10, played in all eight of the HEAT’s preseason games (one start), and averaged 3.1 points, 2.9 assists, 2.4 steals and 2.3 rebounds in 18.7 minutes per game.

White, who played on the HEAT’s summer league team this year and was signed as a free agent on July 15, appeared in six preseason games with Miami and averaged 5.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 9.5 minutes while shooting 44.8 percent from the field and a perfect 4-of-4 from the foul line.

Stay tuned as Hot Hot Hoops will take a comprehensive look at the regular-season roster.