The Heat are adding a couple more bodies for training camp, including one who spent last fall playing an entirely different sport.
Miami plans to sign forwards Ezra Ausar and Ian Schieffelin to Exhibit 10 contracts, according to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel and Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald.
Both played for the Heat during Summer League.
Ausar, a 6-foot-9 power forward, went undrafted in June after finishing his college career at USC. He averaged 14.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.0 steal in 32 games for the Trojans last season.
Schieffelin has the more unusual path to Heat camp. After playing four seasons of basketball at Clemson, the 6-foot-8 forward spent last season playing tight end for the Tigers’ football team. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney, a friend of Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, helped convince Schieffelin to give football a shot.
Now he’s back to basketball and trying to turn a Summer League opportunity into something more.
Before his football detour, Schieffelin averaged 12.4 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists during his senior basketball season at Clemson.
Miami also remains expected to complete previously reported Exhibit 10 agreements with Tre White and J’Vonne Hadley, while Keyshawn Hall remains a possibility. Hall is also considering returning to college for a fifth season.
The Heat aren’t expected to finalize those deals immediately. They currently have only 12 players on standard contracts and need to reach 14 before completing contracts containing Exhibit 9 language.
Eventually, though, there should be a competition for Miami’s available two-way spots. Per Winderman, White may enter that race with an early advantage after a strong Summer League.
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