The Miami Heat waived four players Saturday as they reduced their roster ahead of the regular season.
The team announced that Ezra Ausar, Kylor Kelley, Gabe Madsen and Bez Mbeng were released. The moves bring Miami closer to its opening-night group while leaving an opportunity to add another player.
OFFICIAL: The Miami HEAT have waived Ezra Ausar, Kylor Kelley, Gabe Madsen and Bez Mbeng.
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) October 17, 2026
The Heat now have 14 players on standard contracts and three on two-way deals.
That leaves one standard roster spot available. Miami does not need another cut simply to create room for a 15th standard-contract player, although any addition would also need to fit within its financial restrictions.
Heat make cuts ahead of Monday’s roster deadline
The timing reflects the NBA’s process for setting regular-season rosters.
Teams face a 5 p.m. Eastern deadline Monday to reach regular-season roster limits. The 48-hour waiver period means most corresponding cuts need to be made by 5 p.m. Eastern Saturday.
Miami announced its four departures before noon Eastern, addressing its roster numbers ahead of that timetable.
Ausar’s stay was particularly brief. The Heat announced his signing Thursday night in the same transaction that sent Ian Schieffelin to waivers.
The latest announcement confirms the four departures but does not identify their next teams. A move to a G League roster would be a separate development.
Nick Richards remains with Heat after roster cuts
Richards was not among the four players waived Saturday.
Miami expects to keep Richards past Saturday’s deadline, although that would not immediately guarantee his salary for the entire season.
As explained in Heat Nation’s earlier coverage of Richards’ contract, his $3.1 million salary becomes fully guaranteed if he remains on the roster for opening night, unless the terms are changed.
The Heat can still waive him by 11:59 p.m. Tuesday before the full guarantee takes effect.
The distinction means Saturday’s cuts settle the departures of Ausar, Kelley, Madsen and Mbeng without resolving every remaining roster question.
Miami’s next game is its regular-season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday at Kaseya Center.
The Heat enter the days leading up to that matchup with their roster below the maximum and the final standard spot still unfilled.
