The Miami Heat have reportedly decided to release Drew Peterson and Alondes Williams as they narrow down their roster for the 2023-24 season.
Both Peterson and Williams participated in Miami’s recent preseason game against the San Antonio Spurs. Peterson’s performance in the game was subpar, shooting just 1-for-5 from the field and missing all four of his attempts from beyond the three-point line. On a more positive note, he contributed five rebounds during the match.
Peterson, a rookie who spent five years in college, divided his college career between two seasons at Rice University and three seasons at the University of Southern California (USC). During his time in college, he had a three-point shooting average of 35.8 percent. In the 2022-23 season, he averaged 13.9 points per game for USC. However, his preseason performance failed to showcase his strong shooting abilities, possibly leading to his release.
In contrast, Williams, who was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year for 2021-22, went undrafted in the 2022 NBA Draft. This young guard spent a significant part of the 2022-23 season with the Long Island Nets in the G League and had a relatively better showing than Peterson against San Antonio. He scored nine points on 4-for-8 shooting (1-for-4 from three-point range) and contributed four rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
Williams initially played for the University of Oklahoma but truly excelled after transferring to Wake Forest University. During the 2021-22 season, he averaged 18.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game while shooting 50.7 percent from the field and 28.2 percent from beyond the three-point line in 35 games for the Demon Deacons. In the 2022-23 regular season, he appeared in 24 games, starting 12, for the G League Nets, where he averaged 13.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game.
The Heat’s decision to release Williams and Peterson suggests they were not convinced that these players could contribute significantly to the team’s rotation, especially after losing Max Strus and Gabe Vincent in the offseason. However, there is a possibility that these young players might continue with the team’s G League affiliate.
The composition of Miami’s roster for the 2023-24 season is still uncertain, and it remains to be seen who they will retain. The Heat have three more preseason games remaining against the Memphis Grizzlies, Brooklyn Nets, and Houston Rockets to assess which players best fit their roster.
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