Pelle Larsson is taking a more cautious route back to the Miami Heat after an earlier attempt to play through illness ended prematurely, leaving Erik Spoelstra with an unsettled backcourt decision ahead of opening night.
Larsson and Dru Smith participated in Monday’s practice, but Spoelstra did not commit to either guard playing Wednesday against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Their availability will help determine Miami’s options behind starting point guard Davion Mitchell.
Larsson explained that the Heat have been increasing his practice workload gradually after his previous return proved unsuccessful.
“I feel like we’re slow tracking, honestly,” Larsson said. “I feel like we’ve been taking our time with this. I tried to speed track last time against the Timberwolves and it didn’t work out, so we’ve been just taking our time, upping the practice load a little bit every day and it’s working.”
Smith, meanwhile, said his progress depends on how his calf responds to the additional work. Spoelstra described both players as moving toward a return after a demanding session, without declaring them available.
Pelle Larsson’s previous return ended early
Larsson’s latest explanation follows an interrupted preseason that included an appearance against the same opponent Miami will face to begin the regular season.
During the Oct. 10 exhibition, the Heat announced that Larsson had left because of illness and would not return.
That setback was followed by more limited preparation. As Heat Nation reported Oct. 13, Larsson described persistent headaches over approximately a week.
He had reached a morning without a headache and resumed some work, but had not established that he could sustain his usual workload.
Monday’s comments provide an explanation for the slower buildup since that appearance. They also make his practice participation more meaningful than a simple return-to-court update: Miami is trying to avoid another interruption after increasing his activity too quickly.
Larsson remains comfortable with the possibility of playing point guard. He explained that sharing the floor with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bam Adebayo or Nikola Jovic allows Miami to distribute ball-handling duties when opponents apply pressure.
Dru Smith’s absence has opened opportunities for Ryan Conwell
Smith missed Miami’s entire exhibition schedule with the calf injury, leaving Spoelstra without preseason game minutes to evaluate him alongside the team’s new additions.
The Heat had already identified several alternatives when Smith’s injury interrupted training camp. Larsson’s work at point guard was part of Miami’s plans even before that setback, while Spoelstra also identified the frontcourt’s ability to initiate offense.
Conwell subsequently strengthened his own case. The rookie discussed adjusting between handling the ball and playing away from it alongside Miami’s stars.
“I’m definitely confident, especially with the reps I’ve been getting, being a ball handler,” Conwell said. “That’s where a lot of my minutes have been. Just depending on if I’m out there with Giannis [Antetokounmpo] or Bam, I’ll be off the ball. So I’m just trying to do what I can.”
Spoelstra also cautioned that Conwell would not receive the same volume of ball-handling opportunities when playing with the regulars. That distinction matters when assessing his preseason: earning minutes alongside the veterans can require a different contribution from the role he filled during exhibitions.
Conwell’s opportunity therefore extends beyond replacing an injured guard. His ability to contribute without controlling every possession could help him compete for minutes even when Miami has more players available.
Neither that possibility nor his preseason progress establishes that he has won the backup job.
Heat await opening-night availability decisions
Every Heat player practiced Monday, with the first opening-night injury report due Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. EST.
Every Heat player practiced today. The first injury report for opening night will be released tomorrow at 5:30 p.m.
— Anthony Chiang (@Anthony_Chiang) October 19, 2026
The next decision is whether Larsson and Smith can carry that work into Wednesday’s game. Their progress gives Spoelstra more options to consider, but Monday’s practice did not settle either their availability or the order of Miami’s reserve guards.
