WEDNESDAY, 10:26am: Udrih will undergo surgery for what the Heat are calling a torn plantar plate in his right foot, the team announced via press release. He’ll miss three months, according to the club. That timetable would put him back in action by late May, so ostensibly a slim chance exists that he’ll play again this season, if the Heat make the Eastern Conference Finals.
TUESDAY, 9:44am: Heat backup point guard Beno Udrih will undergo surgery to repair damage to his right foot, Shams Charania of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports reports. As a result of the procedure Udrih will miss the remainder of the 2015/16 campaign, Charania adds. No official announcement has been made by the team as of yet regarding Udrih’s injury.
Miami isn’t able to apply for any sort of roster relief to compensate for the injury, with the January 15th deadline to apply for a disabled player exception well in the rearview. Further complicating matters for Miami is the fact that they are unable to sign anyone to more than a 10-day contract until March 6th or else they would creep over the luxury tax line once again. The Heat are currently just $218,000 below the tax line, Bobby Marks of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports notes (on Twitter).
Combo guard Tyler Johnson is already out indefinitely after undergoing left shoulder surgery earlier this month, which makes the loss of Udrih sting even more. Udrih became the team’s primary backup to Goran Dragic after Johnson went down, appearing in 36 games for the team since being acquired from Memphis back in November. The 33-year-old averaged 4.4 points, 1.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 16.3 minutes per outing to go along with a slash line of .434/.333/.882 since arriving in South Florida.
Lots of Dwyane Wade and Josh Richardson at backup point guard now for the Heat, I’d imagine. Not ideal, but not terrible, either. I’d take a game, see how the arrangement works out, and proceed accordingly. I think this can work without signing a guy to a 10-day.
Still, it’s a tough loss. Richardson is still behind offensively in some areas, in terms of being a PG. He has been much better on the wing or in a combo guard situation. So as you said, A lot is going to be put on Wade, McRoberts, and Winslow to be facilitators at times. I’d personally like to add some sort of depth option, but as you mentioned, we can’t do anything for the rest of the year until March 6th. I’d like to see them add a wing player that can shoot the 3, and though they didn’t have interest in him according to the recent report, I think Beasley would actually make some sense as depth, unless they know Bosh is coming back, in which case, a guard would be nice
You know the name that crossed my mind? Kevin Martin. I don’t think they’re getting Joe Johnson, but if Martin and the Wolves do a buyout, he’s the guy I think the Heat should target.
That would be a great fit, obviously. He would provide the shooting they need on the wing, and would thankfully cut into Gerald Green’s minutes
Tough luck for Udrih, who had a rotation spot with Johnson out. Most certainly, the Heat will have to bring in a veteran free agent to back up Dragic.