Silva, Macon may land on roster for opener

MIAMI — Both of the Miami Heat’s twoway players likely will be on the active roster for Wednesday night’s season opener against the Memphis Grizzlies at AmericanAirlines Arena.

The Heat announced that veteran forward Udonis Haslem will be inactive due to a wrist sprain.

In addition, because it is a team suspension and not an NBA suspension, the Heat can also list Dion Waiters as inactive. If it had been a league suspension, the Heat would have had to commit one of their 13 available game-night roster spots to an inactive Waiters.

The Heat’s third inactive spot likely will go to forward James Johnson, who has yet to meet the team’s conditioning standards, after being banished from training camp.

With those three out of uniform, it would open the door for Chris Silva and Daryl Macon, signed over the weekend on twoway deals, to be in uniform.

Johnson, who has been back with the team for the final three exhibitions, has yet to be in uniform.

“No indication yet,” the 32-year-old forward said after Tuesday’s practice of when clearance might come. “But I’m still not at the goal we spoke about. And whether or not or when [I’m] going to get there? I’ll know by [Wednesday].”

The ultimate decision remains with coach Erik Spoelstra and Heat President Pat Riley.

“I’m definitely trending in the right direction,” Johnson said. “So hopefully it is what it is. But at the end of the

Pat and Spo’s say-so at the end.”

Johnson was at AmericanAirlines Arena for the Heat’s final two exhibitions, but not on the bench.

“It’s been tough for me,” he said. “But it’s a position I put myself in and I’m going to get myself out, like always. It’s just an eyeopener. You can never get comfortable in this league and I knew that.”

He said he does not expect to have trouble acclimating to new teammates, having yet to appear in a game with first-round pick Tyler Herro or offseason free-agent acquisition Jimmy Butler.

“Different with the faces, of course, but same goals, same programs, same literature,” he said. “So it’s easier. It’s still the same demands, same culture, same expectations. So it definitely makes it easier than just starting all over.” day, it’s all

Waiting game: Spoelstra declined to offer a starting lineup after Tuesday’s practice, allowed to wait until 30 minutes before tipoff for such an announcement.

“I have a pretty good grasp of which direction we’re going to start in and then be open to whatever is necessary as the season goes on,” he said.

“You have to get groups out there that are effective, but there are some differences to different lineups. That just adds to the versatility, which I think is a strength of ours.”

This is the first time in four years the Heat open at home, after opening the three previous seasons in Orlando. The Heat have won a franchise-record five consecutive home openers.