Dion Waiters is getting closer to making his season debut after having ankle surgery 12 months ago. The Heat tweeted this afternoon that Waiters will travel to Cleveland with the team and is listed as questionable for tomorrow night’s game.
Waiters spent the weekend practicing with Miami’s G League affiliate in Sioux Falls and told Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel that he’s ready to play.
“It felt great. I feel great,” he said. “If you ask those guys out there, I don’t think I missed a shot, a lot of deep shots, too, a lot of attacking and making plays for other guys.”
The trip to Sioux Falls gave Waiters a chance to scrimmage against NBA veterans DeAndre Liggins, Briante Weber and Jarnell Stokes as he prepares for his first game action since December 22, 2017. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said he received encouraging reports about Waiters’ performance.
There’s more today out of Miami:
- Waiters’ return will add to an already crowded backcourt and could provide more incentive to trade Wayne Ellington, Winderman suggests in a question-and-answer column. The 3-point specialist is playing just 22.7 minutes per night, his lowest total since coming to Miami, and could have more value as a trade chip than at the end of the rotation. Because he re-signed with the Heat over the summer on a one-year contract, Ellington has the power to veto any trade, but Winderman believes he would be willing to accept a deal that promises more playing time.
- Sunday’s game against the Timberwolves reminded Josh Richardson that he spent the early part of the season hearing rumors that he was headed to Minnesota, Winderman writes in a separate story. The Wolves were reportedly close to acquiring Richardson as the key piece in a Jimmy Butler trade, but the Heat nixed the deal when Minnesota allegedly asked for more assets. “When your name is out there like that, I was just ready for whatever happened, really,” Richardson said. “I wanted to stay here. But if a move happened, then I was prepared.”
- Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald names Richardson the most improved athlete in his 2018 awards for South Florida sports. He chooses Dwyane Wade‘s return to the Heat as the best personnel move.
Heat will continue to have enough injuries throughout the rest of the season for Ellington to keep getting playing time. They could use a depth option at the 4 though, so maybe they can match up with someone like that for Ellington. Maybe Memphis and Jamychal Green? Heat would probably have to add some kind of pick to that, I would think. There could also be options on the buyout market that make sense, and I still think they should get Melo
I was noticing James Johnson’s PER and associated stats dip every three years. Good news is that means he will rebound for the next two years. Bad news, he won’t this year.
He missed most of the year recovering from injury.