Pele Larson signed a four-year extension with Heat last month. However, the training camp did not go so smoothly.
According to Larson, he is suffering from a long illness Anthony Chung of the Miami Herald. He tried to play in the Heat’s third exhibition game against Minnesota on Saturday, but left early because he still wasn’t feeling well.
“Really, just a headache” he said. “So I caught something when we were in Quebec (at the preseason opener) or on the way back or something like that. So since then I haven’t been feeling well and I took a few days off, came back, just came back a little too fast. Maybe I didn’t respect it and tried to stick with it. Now, just taking it slower.”
Larsson’s status is in question for the Heat’s fourth of five preseason games against the Nets on Wednesday.
“Now I’m going to take it slow and just increase the load, slowly,” said Larson, who did limited work in practice Tuesday.
Here’s more on Heat:
- Vladislav Goldin had 18 points and six rebounds against the Timberwolves, but his two-way spot is by no means sealed, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel notes. If Miami keeps center Nick Richards in a standard roster, Goldin can be expendable. “It was a matter of him keeping up with the speed of the game.” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “When he gets quick and gets up and down, he’s really worked on it. His conditioning is great, but it’s a synapse change to get to the next possession.”
- Nikola Jovich signed a four-year, $62.4 million extension last offseason and then had a disappointing 2025-26 campaign. Spoelstra believes Jovic can make a big recovery this season Chan writes. “It’s about dealing with it the way we all have to when things don’t necessarily go our way.” Spoelstra said “I think he’s going to be able to make an impact on this team with his versatility. That’s going to be a big thing. … What I’m saying is if things inevitably don’t go his way, that’s OK. It’s about the response. “It shouldn’t be the end of the world body language if you miss a couple of shots or make a play that he wants to make. back. He really cares, but we all make mistakes. I make mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes. It’s about showing resilience to be able to get back into the game and make the next play, and he’s really worked on that and shown responsibility this summer. I’m excited to see how it turns out.”
- Second round pick Ryan Conwell had 22 points and five assists Saturday, making a strong impression on the coaching staff Winderman. “He had a really good game last night. I’m not sure we fully expected that, nine assists without a loss.” Spoelstra said. “But he has the makings of a player who can not only make a second-round pick, but find a way to contribute. It’s tough for second-rounders. A lot of them don’t make it for whatever reason. Usually, I think it’s about being in shape, at the right time. But one of the biggest qualities is your makeup — being able to come back every day and learn and put positive days together. He’s got that quality.” Conwell was signed to a three-year contract shortly after being drafted.