Observations from Saturday night's 93-90 exhibition loss to the Orlando Magic at the Amway Center:

-- Not completely sold on Hassan Whiteside and Kelly Olynyk side by side in the starting lineup.

-- Because there will be far greater challenges to defend at power forward than Aaron Gordon.

-- But it is a way to maximize the court time for each.

-- And probably deserves more scrutiny.

-- By starting Olynyk alongside Whiteside, the Heat got back to inserting James Johnson and Tyler Johnson together in the first period.

-- That had James Johnson getting some early minutes at center, with Justise Winslow at power forward.

-- Winslow then shifted to small forward when Olynyk returned, the first time he has been cast in that role this preseason.

-- This is why you need preseason, to explore.

-- Which matters far more than the score.

-- The rotation, with Goran Dragic given the night off, also gave Josh Richardson the opportunity to show his versatility.

-- He certainly was in rhythm.

-- He is a different player when fully healthy.

-- He was that player Saturday.

-- Erik Spoelstra stayed with same top nine players at the top of Saturday's rotation (minus Dragic), stressing the need for his regulars to get minutes together.

-- The non-rotation players did not enter until the midpoint of the fourth quarter.

-- When we saw the likes of Erik McCree and Jordan Mickey.

-- Gordon got the better of Olynyk in the early matchup at power forward.

-- But Olynyk did not appear overwhelmed defending on the perimeter, especially when he knew at the outset he had Whiteside behind him.

-- Tyler Johnson ended the game wearing a stim unit, thus his lack of action.

-- Magic coach Frank Vogel said he was approaching the game somewhat close to the vest, with the teams to open the regular season against each other.

-- Like the Heat, the Magic have the dilemma of whether they can afford to play one of their big men at power forward at times. The Magic are loaded in the middle with Nikola Vucevic, Bismack Biyombo and now Marreese Speights.

-- Of whether Speights can play power forward in today's small-ball era, Vogel said, "There are occasions where you can slide him over to the four, but not too many in this era."

-- Richardson opened at point guard, with rest previously expected for Dragic after a busy September with the Slovenia championship team at EuroBasket.

-- Of what Jonathon Simmons adds to his roster, Vogel said of the offseason free-agent acquisition from the Spurs, "Toughness and grit and little bit of swagger."

-- Vogel said he expects more this season from point guard Elfrid Payton, if only because it is the first time he has had the same coach and same system for consecutive years.

-- Heat captain Udonis Haslem said he was not surprised that former teammate and close friend Dwyane Wade was able to score 20 points in 22 minutes of the Cavaliers' Friday exhibition game.

-- "I know how much work he puts in in the offseason to keep himself physically ready and prepared to go out there and perform at a high level," Haslem said "So I'm not surprised at what he's been able to do or what he's able to still do."

-- Haslem said the two keep the talk about age to a minimum. Wade is 35, Haslem 37.

-- "At the end of the day," Haslem said, "I'm older than him so there's not really much I can say."

-- Asked what it would be like if he were to be called on for such productivity in the preseason, Haslem smiled, "I just don't recover as quick as I used to."

-- For Richardson the trip proved to be a disappointment after he learned that the U.S. men's national team was playing a World Cup qualifying match in Orlando on Friday night. Richardson is among the Heat's most passionate soccer fans.

-- "I'm sick I missed it," he said at the morning shootaround of the rout of Panama.

-- "I didn't know it was there," he said. "My boy from Miami called me and told me about it."

-- Richardson said he went to several games during the offseason in Los Angeles, as well as the summer version of El Classico at Hard Rock Stadium.

-- Richardson counts himself as a fan of the U.S. national team and Arsenal of the Premier League.

-- Why Arsenal? "I never really watched a lot of soccer when I was younger, but in college my teammates would play a lot of FIFA and I started playing that."

-- Asked what his plans would be if Miami finally gets an MLS team, he said, without hesitation, "season tickets."

-- U.S. men's national soccer coach Bruce Arena was in the building after Friday's crucial victory here over Panama.

-- As was Christian Pulisic.

CAPTION Spoelstra: No need to show anger to appease outsiders. Spoelstra: No need to show anger to appease outsiders. CAPTION Spoelstra: No need to show anger to appease outsiders. Spoelstra: No need to show anger to appease outsiders. CAPTION Dwyane Wade: Braids a tribute to Iverson Dwyane Wade: Braids a tribute to Iverson CAPTION Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra says his team showed grit in loss to the Phoenix Suns. Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra says his team showed grit in loss to the Phoenix Suns. CAPTION Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade says his team's loss to the Phoenix Suns hurt his team and their hopes of getting to the playoffs. Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade says his team's loss to the Phoenix Suns hurt his team and their hopes of getting to the playoffs. CAPTION Miami guard Josh Richardson talks about the obstacles that lead hs team's loss to the Phoenix Suns. Miami guard Josh Richardson talks about the obstacles that lead hs team's loss to the Phoenix Suns.

iwinderman@sunsentinel.com. Follow him at twitter.com/iraheatbeat or facebook.com/ira.winderman