With training camp on the horizon and the regular season set to commence in less than a month, the Miami Heat still have injury concerns at the shooting guard position.
Starter Dion Waiters underwent ankle surgery earlier this year in January and according to team owner Pat Riley, he won’t be ready for training camp and will also likely miss the regular season opener. Following from Sun Sentinel’s Ira Winderman.
Per Pat Riley: “Dion Waiters, who is currently rehabbing from foot surgery, will not be available when the team begins training camp on Sept. 25th and is also unlikely to be ready for the start of the regular season on Oct. 17th … (1/2)"
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) September 18, 2018
Per Pat Riley (2/2): "… Dion will not be returning to the court until the HEAT medical team and training staff deem him healed, rehabbed and physically conditioned for all basketball activities.”
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) September 18, 2018
With the typical recovery time for this ankle surgery lasting around 10 months, Dion Waiters and the Heat would’ve been cutting it close trying to get him ready for their season opener in Orlando on Oct. 17.
Perhaps the assurance that Dwyane Wade will be returning for another season allows them more leeway when it comes to Waiters’ injury outlook. Though it’s not certain that Wade will start with Waiters out of the lineup, it wouldn’t be surprising for him to open the season with a bigger offensive workload than first anticipated.
The Heat do have other serviceable guard options if Waiters’ recovery was to linger. Last season it was Tyler Johnson who initially stepped in for Waiters. Once their first game comes around, they could opt to start Johnson again, though Wade, Wayne Ellington and moving Josh Richardson over from small forward are all options likely to be considered.
