Five takeaways from the Heat’s 114-109 win against the Memphis Grizzlies in its preseason finale on Friday night at FedEx Forum, with Miami now turning its attention to Wednesday’s regular-season opener against visiting Orlando:

▪ At least seven members of the Heat’s rotation sat out.

Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, Terry Rozier, Duncan Robinson and Kevin Love – all part of Erik Spoelstra’s expected 9- or 10-man rotation – did not travel to Memphis.

Neither did guard Alec Burks, who also has a good chance to be in the rotation.

And neither did guard Josh Richardson, who continues to work his way back from shoulder surgery last March.

Jaime Jaquez Jr., who will assuredly be part of the rotation, traveled with the team but did not play.

Spoelstra opened with a starting group of Dru Smith, Pelle Larsson, Nikola Jovic, Haywood Highsmith and Thomas Bryant. Neither Highsmith nor Bryant played in the second half.

For stretches of the game, the Heat used a lineup that was often on the floor during the Las Vegas Summer League run that ended with a 120-118 overtime championship game win against Memphis.

Many of those Heat Summer Leaguers were on the court during a 17-2 fourth quarter Heat run that helped Miami close preseason at 4-1. Miami outscored Memphis 29-18 in the fourth.

Kel’El Ware (16 points) and Josh Christopher (17 points) were particularly good in that fourth quarter.

▪ At least three, and potentially four, players made their final appearance for the Heat before Saturday’s 5 p.m. roster cut-down deadline.

This weekend, teams must trim their rosters to no more than 15 players on standard contracts, and no more than three players on two-way contracts.

Veteran wing Nassir Little, who joined the Heat on a non-guaranteed standard contract before training camp, faces an uphill climb to stick, especially with the Heat barely below the second apron – a luxury tax threshold that the team prefers not to surpass.

Heading into Friday, Little had played only 15 minutes in preseason, while shooting 0 for 7 from the field.

On Friday, he made three three-pointers, including a go-ahead three during a 14-0 run in the fourth quarter. Little scored 15 points (4 for 8 shooting) in 31 minutes – with four rebounds and three assists – but it may have been too little too late (forgive the pun).

Little also worked out for Golden State, Boston and Sacramento but said Miami wanted him the most. But there’s no pathway for the Heat to keep Little – or any 15th player on a standard contract – for the entire season and stay below the second apron unless it trades another player and receives less money back.

If Little were to begin the season with the Heat, he would need to be released in January for the Heat to avoid surpassing the second apron without a trade. And that also would make it far more onerous for Miami to add a buyout player late in the season.

If Little is cut, the Heat could trim its roster to 14 simply by releasing guards Zyon Pullin and Isaiah Stevens and center Warren Washington. Each could end up with the Heat’s G-League team in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Stevens entered camp hoping to wrest a two-way contract from Dru Smith, Christopher or Keshad Johnson. And Stevens’ ball-handling and play-making – his greatest strengths – were on display Friday.

Stevens has a knack for driving into the paint, drawing defenders and delivering nifty passes for dunks or layups. There were three such assists on Friday, including alley-oops to Ware and Johnson.

After shooting 0 for 6 through the first four games of preseason, Stevens made just 1 of his 4 shots Friday. But he finished preseason with 12 assists and three turnovers.

Though Stevens made a case for himself on Friday, it would be a mild surprise if the Heat replaces any of its two-way players on Saturday.

Pullin, who lost his Heat two-way contract to Christopher in July, had six points in 18 minutes on Friday.

Washington, a 7-footer from Texas Tech, played five minutes and now likely will continue his development at Sioux Falls.

Before Friday’s game, Spoelstra suggested that serious preseason evaluation of players had mostly been completed.

Friday’s game is “less about evaluation,” he said. “We’ve had them with us for several months, weeks. I don’t want the guys to feel pressure. This is more fun, to get out there and compete.”

▪ Ware got the better of his minutes against fellow rookie center Zach Edey.

Ware blocked a shot by Ja Morant on a drive to the basket late in the first quarter and showed good touch on three jumpers.

He started the second half and held his own against fellow rookie 7-4 center Zach Edey, who has a four-inch height advantage and a 65-pound weight advantage.

Edey, playing for Purdue, dominated his matchups with Indiana’s Ware last season, producing a combined 59 points and 22 rebounds in the two games, compared with 16 and 14 for Ware.

But Ware had the better night, forcing an Edey turnover and finishing with 16 points on 7 for 17 shooting, seven rebounds, two blocks and two late steals in 27 minutes.

Edey closed with 7 points (on 2 for 7 shooting) and 7 rebounds in 20 minutes.

“He’s put on almost 10 pounds since he’s been with us,” Spoelstra said of Ware, who was drafted 15th overall, six spots after Edey.

“He’s embraced how we do things. He’s not afraid of work. Particularly at [Indiana], he got so much better the months he was there. He impacted winning. That’s one of the things people didn’t pay attention to. He really impacted their defense.”

Ware hit a corner three late in the game and closed preseason 2 for 11 on threes.

Larsson, the Heat’s second-round pick, was off with his shot, finishing with 14 points on 5 for 17 shooting.

▪ While the Heat played only one starter (Jovic) and another key reserve (Highsmith), the Grizzlies played at least four starters, including All Star point guard Ja Morant, who was appearing in only his second game since January.

Jovic, who shot 39.9 percent on threes last season, shot only 5 for 18 on three-pointers in preseason after going 1 for 3 on Friday.

But Jovic scored two baskets on drives to the basket, finishing with 11 points and 4 assists in 14 minutes.

Highsmith, meanwhile, hit three early threes, ending the night with 10 points, three rebounds and two steals in 15 first half minutes.

Morant served a 25-game suspension to begin last season, played in nine games, and then sustained a season-ending shoulder injury in January. He scored 17 minutes in 25 minutes, apparently needing the work after sustaining an injury in the first game of preseason.

“I don’t think Chris Quinn on the scout team can prepare you for the burst, speed, explosiveness of that,” Spoelstra cracked before the game.

▪ The three Heat players on two-way contracts had some decent moments.

Smith, who entered 3 for 14 from the field in preseason, shot 3 for 4 (including two threes) but had a rare night with more turnovers (two) than assists (one). He nevertheless finished preseason with an exceptional 15-to-3 assist-to-turnover ratio.

Christopher went on a scoring binge late, closing 6 for 11 from the field, with four assists and three steals.

Christopher told Bally Sports’ Jason Jackson that it’s “always personal” when he plays Memphis, because the Grizzlies waived him in 2023 and waited until late in training camp to do it, less than three months after trading for him.

Johnson, the target of several alley-oops, chipped in eight points and two steals in 26 minutes.