Dion Waiters Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Season-Ending Surgery Expected For Dion Waiters

January 11th, 2018 at 5:01pm CST by Luke Adams

January 11, 5:01pm: After having received a second opinion in Los Angeles, Waiters is expected to undergo season-ending surgery on his left ankle, Shams Charania of The Vertical tweets.

January 10, 4:10pm: Heat guard Dion Waiters has been nagged for much of the season by a left ankle injury, an issue that has kept him out of action since December 22. While the club has moved forward with a non-surgical rehab program so far, Waiters recently sought out a second opinion, and a season-ending surgical procedure is one of the options he’s considering, an associate tells Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (Twitter link). No decisions have been made yet, however.

Waiters’ camp and the Heat figure to work in tandem to figure out the best approach for the 26-year-old, who has received multiple medical opinions, per Jackson. Waiters had suggested last month that offseason surgery may also be an option if he can make it through the 2017/18 campaign without having to go under the knife.

The injury has likely contributed to Waiters’ dip in production so far this season. After posting a .424 FG% and .395 3PT% in 2016/17, the former fourth overall pick has seen those shooting rates decline to .398 and .306 this year.

Waiters, who inked a new contract with the Heat back in July, is under contract through the 2020/21 season at a rate of nearly $12MM annually, so the club will be motivated to find the best long-term solution, rather than trying to rush him back onto the court. Still, ESPN’s Zach Lowe indicated in his latest piece that Waiters’ injury situation has created some tension in Miami. The two sides hope to have some clarity on the issue this week or next week, per Lowe.

No matter how the Heat and Waiters choose to address his ankle injury, the veteran guard appears extremely unlikely to cash in on his $1.1MM games-played bonus for this season. Waiters would have to appear in 70 games to receive that money, and he has already missed 10 of 40 contests.

Heat Rumors: Winslow, Whiteside, Dragic, Ellington

January 10th, 2018 at 10:20am CST by Luke Adams

Although the Heat lack a superstar player, there’s optimism within the organization that the team is capable of winning upwards of 50 games and a playoff round or two. Still, the Heat are aware that they face “major questions” about their ceiling, Zach Lowe writes in his latest piece for ESPN.com. As such, Miami is a team that figures to be active as the trade deadline approaches.

According to Lowe, the Heat – who may be in the tax next season – are projecting optimism that they could trade the lucrative new long-term contracts handed out to the likes of Dion Waiters, James Johnson, and Kelly Olynyk if they need to. However, rival executives are skeptical that all those deals would be easily movable.

Here’s more from Lowe on the Heat’s outlook and trade possibilities:

Justise Winslow has been surpassed by Josh Richardson as the Heat’s small forward of the future, while Johnson has emerged as Miami’s top small-ball power forward, according to Lowe, who suggests that Winslow is a potential trade chip for the Heat. Lowe adds that multiple rival execs are calling Winslow the Heat’s version of Jahlil Okafor, though he thinks that’s “a little much.”
The Heat’s best and most realistic trade package if they look to make a big splash would likely be Winslow and Hassan Whiteside, says Lowe. Neither player has been a major part of Miami’s best crunch-time lineup as of late, so the club could dangle that duo in search of a star center.
The Heat have shown no interest in trading Goran Dragic, per Lowe’s league sources.
Waiters’ ankle injury has created some tension in Miami, with Waiters seeking a second opinion after the team put him on a non-surgical rehab program. The two sides hope to get clarity on Waiters’ recovery this week or next, according to Lowe, who notes that the veteran guard “almost feels redundant” on a Heat roster that features several ball-handlers.
Long-term luxury tax concerns for the Heat may cost them Wayne Ellington. The veteran sharpshooter is in line for a raise when he becomes an unrestricted free agent in July and Miami likely won’t be able to afford him, prompting Lowe to wonder if the club would consider trading him rather than losing him for nothing.

Heat Notes: Frontcourt, Waiters, Patience

January 5th, 2018 at 4:32pm CST by Austin Kent

This time last season, Heat president Pat Riley made the decision to stand pat with a veteran core and it paid off in the form of one of the most impressive in-season turnarounds in recent memory. You can imagine, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel suggests, that Miami’s success so far in 2017/18 has muted trade talk at this point in the season.

The Heat, 20-17 and currently seventh in the East, sit well situated to nab a playoff spot. It’s plausible to even consider that they could gain the 1.5 games necessary to catch the Wizards who currently sit fourth in the conference if all breaks right down the stretch.

While Riley may not be content with a team whose long-term ceiling seems to fall short of genuine contention, there’s no indication that the organization won’t remain patient for the time being.

There’s more from South Beach:

The Heat have found success starting seven-footers Hassan Whiteside and Kelly Olynyk together and aren’t about to abandon the unconventional approach, even in the throes of the small ball era. “Right now, we’re going with it,” head coach Erik Spoelstra told Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel. “There’ll be minutes that they’ll play together. There’s certain part of that combination that I really like and other parts that have to get better. […] And I don’t necessarily look at Kelly as seven-footer. He has versatility that’s much different than a normal seven-footer.“
Plagued by a lingering sprained ankle, Heat guard Dion Waiters is pursuing a second opinion on how to treat the injury, an Associated Press report says. Waiters considered surgery when he initially hurt the ankle last March and may consider it again. The 26-year-old has already missed seven games this season, making it unlikely that he reaches the 70-game threshold required for a contract bonus to kick in.
A hypothetical trade scenario that would involved sending Hassan Whiteside to the Grizzlies in exchange for Marc Gasol is an intriguing one, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel says in a question-and-answer feature with readers, but the dicey history between Gasol and former Heat assistant coach David Fizdale could be a red flag.

Southeast Notes: Heat, Wizards, Speights, Bacon

December 29th, 2017 at 12:22pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Heat will be eligible to apply for a hardship exception after tonight’s game, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. To qualify, teams must have at least four players miss three consecutive games with injuries and be ruled out for at least two more weeks by an independent medical specialist. Dion Waiters will sit out his third straight game tonight with a sprained ankle, joining Justise Winslow, who has missed eight games with a left knee sprain, and Rodney McGruder and Okaro White, who are both recovering from surgeries.

Miami, which signed White under similar circumstances last season, has a roster candidate playing for its G League affiliate, Winderman notes. Veteran swingman Alonzo Gee is averaging 17.8 points in five games with Sioux Falls. The 30-year-old, who last appeared in the NBA when he signed a 10-day contract with the Nuggets in January, has played for six teams in eight years.

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

John Wall and Bradley Beal both used the word “selfish” to explain why the Wizards frequently suffer letdowns like the one that resulted in Wednesday’s loss to the Hawks, relays Candace Buckner of The Washington Post. Washington was expected to be among the top teams in the East, but has dropped games to the Mavericks, Suns, Lakers, Clippers, Nets [twice] and Hawks, who all have losing records. “We talk about it. We say when we play these teams that are not above .500 or not one of the great teams, we go out there playing for stats,” Wall said.
At age 30, Marreese Speights has become a leader on a young Magic team, notes John Denton of NBA.com. Speights, who signed with Orlando this summer, has been around seasoned veterans throughout his career and is passing on the knowledge he gained to his new teammates. “You never know when this game is going to get taken away from you, and that happens to a lot of people, so you have to cherish it every time you get to play,’’ he said. “You have to understand this is bigger than what you think it is. I never take it for granted putting that jersey on.’’
Hornets guard Dwayne Bacon will have a short stay in the G League, relays Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. The rookie out of Florida State made an impression Thursday with 45 points, nine rebounds and five assists for the Swarm. “Barring injury to a Hornets player [Friday against Golden State], the plan is to have Bacon play in Greensboro tonight [i.e. Thursday] against Wisconsin, and then on Saturday in Iowa,” GM Rich Cho wrote in a text message. “We would then recall him after the game on Saturday and have him join [the Hornets] in LA.”

Heat Rumors: Waiters, Johnson, Adebayo

December 27th, 2017 at 12:56pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Heat shooting guard Dion Waiters may have offseason surgery to correct his lingering left ankle issues, according to an Associated Press report. Waiters missed the final 13 games of last season due to an ankle sprain and the injury never fully healed, the AP story continues. He’s missed the last two games after re-injuring the ankle and there’s no timetable for his return. “It’s something I don’t like to talk about because there’s nothing we really can do right now but try to take care of it, get it stronger, things like that,” Waiters told the assembled media. “I don’t want to be in this predicament where it’s a little tweak, you’ve got to miss a decent amount just off a little tweak.” However, Waiters does not want to have surgery during the season, the report adds.

In other developments regarding the Heat:

Tyler Johnson has provided a spark with both Waiters and starting point guard Goran Dragic sidelined by injuries, Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel notes. The combo guard has scored 17 or more points in three games since being moved into the starting lineup. “When Tyler’s at his best version of himself, you just see a bundle of energy and toughness and winning plays,” coach Erik Spoelstra told Winderman and other media members. “It doesn’t matter necessarily how many points he scored. … His confidence is growing every single game, and you can see it. You can see it before your eyes. You can see it happening.”
Hassan Whiteside has returned after missing 13 games with a knee injury but rookie Bam Adebayo deserves to stay in the rotation, Winderman opines in a mailbag post. The Heat must acknowledge that Whiteside, Adebayo and Kelly Olynyk are three of their best players and Spoelstra should be able to figure out a way to utilize all of those big men, Winderman adds.
The club is in a much better position than last season, as Winderman points out that the Heat entered the Christmas break a year ago 11 games below .500. “I still think there’s some really good things going on with our team, despite the injuries, despite some of the adversity we’re going through,” Spoelstra said. “I like the direction we’re going.”

Heat Notes: Waiters, J. Johnson, Ellington, Walton

December 23rd, 2017 at 6:33pm CST by Arthur Hill

Miami’s injury situation worsened Friday night when shooting guard Dion Waiters was forced to leave the game with a left ankle problem. Coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters today that x-rays and an MRI were both negative and it has been diagnosed as a sprain, tweets Manny Navarro of The Miami Herald.

This injury isn’t related to the left ankle issue that caused Waiters to miss the final 13 games last season, Spoelstra adds (Twitter link). Waiters opted not to have surgery over the summer because he was concerned it would impact his value in free agency, notes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald.

There’s more tonight out of Miami:

The Heat have some encouraging news on the injury front, as Navarro tweets that James Johnson will return tonight after missing a week with right ankle bursitis. Center Hassan Whiteside has expanded his conditioning and court work after missing 12 games with a bone bruise in his knee (Twitter link). Point guard Goran Dragic will also play tonight after missing three games with a strained elbow ligament, according to Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel (Twitter link).
Wayne Ellington had one of his best nights in a Heat uniform Friday, showing the importance of the offseason maneuverings that were necessary for the team to pick up his option, Jackson writes in the same story. Miami couldn’t have afforded Ellington’s $6.3MM option and Kelly Olynyk‘s four-year, $50MM deal without unloading Josh McRoberts‘ salary of a little more than $6MM. McRoberts was shipped to Dallas along with cash and a 2023 second-rounder in exchange for A.J. Hammons, who has yet to play this season. “I’ve learned never to question [GM] Andy Elisburg,” Spoelstra said. “He can make a lot of things happen out of nowhere. When we executed his contract, he was the first guy I texted. I enjoy watching Wayne.”
Rookie guard Derrick Walton made an impression on the coaching staff with his performance Friday, Jackson adds. Limited to 45 days in the NBA by his two-way contract, Walton had seven points, five assists and no turnovers in nearly 24 minutes of action. “He’s a heady player, gutsy player,” Spoelstra said. “He’s a gamer. He doesn’t get sick at sea in these kinds of moments. He gets you organized and makes the right plays. … You want your teammates and coaching staff to notice you when you get that opportunity and we did.”

Heat Notes: Waiters, Whiteside, Adebayo

December 14th, 2017 at 9:06am CST by Austin Kent

The Heat haven’t publicly expressed an interest in bringing Dion Waiters off the bench but that hasn’t deterred the 26-year-old from advocating for his role as a starter anyway. Tom D’Angelo of the Palm Beach Post writes that Waiters views himself as a starter in the NBA.

“I’m a starter in this league, man, that’s who I am. We’re going to nip that in the bud right now. I’m not coming off no bench,” the guard said.

Waiters argues that he’s never enjoyed a reserve role and only reluctantly accepted it during previous stops in his career. Over the course of his six-year-career, Waiters has started nearly half of his games in the NBA.

There’s more out of Miami this morning:

The Heat are in a holding pattern with Hassan Whiteside‘s knee injury, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel reports. “There is no time table, let’s make no assumptions about that,” head coach Erik Spoelstra said. “He’s doing a lot better. He’s been working out two, sometimes three times a day.”
A lingering tendon injury in his shooting elbow continues to plague Dion Waiters. As a result, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel writes, he’ll experiment with a shooting sleeve for the first time in his career.
The Heat like what they see in Bam Adebayo but aren’t about to hastily ship Hassan Whiteside out of town to facilitate his long-term development. Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel discusses the two big men in a question-and-answer feature with readers.

Heat Notes: Waiters, Adebayo, Winslow, Roster, Deadline

December 3rd, 2017 at 4:13pm CST by marksuleymanov

Dion Waiters has shown improvements to his game but Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra wants to see his guard take further steps to improve his all-around game, Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel writes.

“I really like the progress he’s making,” Spoelstra said of Waiters. “I know his shooting numbers aren’t showing it right now, not necessarily his turnovers. I think those will come down. I think his shooting percentage will come up because he’s starting to understand different reads, different coverages, the responsibility of having to make plays for our basketball team.”

Waiters, 25, is enjoying another solid season in Miami after he enjoyed a breakout campaign last season. Waiters signed a four-year, $52MM deal to remain with the Heat. While the improvements are noticeable, Spoelstra added that Waiters needs to maintain his focus throughout each game and not lose focus.

“Now, the other side of that is helping him improve all the other 45 minutes of the game offensively, which he is coming a long way,” Spoelstra said.

Below you can read more news out of the Miami Heat organization:

In his Ask Ira column, Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel addressed the Heat’s decision to start both Bam Adebayo and Justise Winslow. While neither man is a scoring threat, Spoelstra prefers to replace injured players with “someone who least impacts the overall rotation.” Thus, it allows the Heat to start with one lineup and gradually mix in other players throughout the game.
In another installment of Ask Ira, Winderman breaks down the Heat roster and examines why it has been difficult for the team to achieve consistency.
December 15 will be the first day teams can trade players who were signed during this past offseason. While the Heat have not made a December trade in their 30+ years of existence, Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel breaks down the likelihood of Miami swinging a deal and which players could be on the trading block.

Atlantic Notes: Waiters, Knicks, Casey, Whitehead

November 30th, 2017 at 11:14am CST by Luke Adams

When Dion Waiters reached the open market back in July, the Knicks were cited as a potential suitor for him, though the free agent guard ultimately agreed to a long-term deal to return to the Heat. With the Heat and Knicks squaring off on Wednesday night for the first time this season, Waiters revisited his time as a free agent, confirming that New York did have have interest in him and made him an offer.

“They were talking, they were trying,” Waiters said, per Marc Berman of The New York Post. “My agent was talking to [the Knicks] more than I was.”

Waiters acknowledged that the appeal of playing in New York City and the proximity to his hometown (Philadelphia) and college (Syracuse) had him intrigued by the possibility of playing for the Knicks. However, his preference was always to stick with the Heat if that was viable. “Other teams figured that’s how it was going to be,” Waiters added.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic division:

After a year of stability in the head coaching ranks, two coaches have already been fired this season and others are finding themselves on the hot seat. However, Raptors head coach Dwane Casey, whose job security has looked shaky at times in the past, seems pretty safe right now, says Doug Smith of The Toronto Star.
Brian Lewis of The New York Post takes a closer look at the development of second-year guard Isaiah Whitehead, who has frequently bounced back and forth this season between the Nets and their G League affiliate. If Whitehead can cut down on his turnovers, he should continue to see more time in Brooklyn than in Long Island, writes Lewis.
Speaking of the G League, the Sixers‘ affiliate, the Delaware 87ers, will be getting a brand new home for the 2018/19 season. Jessica Camerato of NBC Sports Philadelphia has the details on the 76ers Fieldhouse, the multi-purpose sports complex in Wilmington, Delaware which will hold about 2,500 fans for G League games.

Jazz Notes: Favors, Gobert, Mitchell, Hood

November 13th, 2017 at 5:40pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Derrick Favors feels comfortable moving into the starting center spot for the Jazz with Rudy Gobert sidelined, Mike Sorensen of the Deseret News reports. Favors did the same thing for 18 games two seasons ago when Gobert was injured and once again during last season’s playoffs, Sorensen notes. Favors piled up 24 points and 12 rebounds against the Nets Saturday. Gobert is expected to miss at least a month of action due to a tibia contusion. “It’s the same as last year, same as the year before that when Rudy went down and I had to move to the five spot,” Favors told Sorensen. “Even before that, I was starting at the five, so I’m ready for it.” Favors, who is in his walk year, can boost his stock in free agency if he plays well in Gobert’s absence.

In other developments involving the Jazz:

The Jazz contacted the league office regarding the play in which Gobert was injured but no action was taken, Tony Jones of the Salt Lake Tribune tweets. Heat guard Dion Waiters dove to the floor while chasing a loose ball and rolled toward Gobert body, causing the injury. The league told the Jazz that a foul against Waiters should’ve been called but it was deemed not intentional, Jones adds.
Donovan Mitchell‘s competitive drive has made him one of this year’s draft-day steals, Brian Lewis of the New York Post opines. The combo guard, taken with the No. 13 overall pick, scored a game-high 26 points against the Nets. “His competitive spirit is something you can’t teach,” Jazz coach Quin Snyder told Lewis and other media members. “There’s certain things you can’t teach. You can try to train them and improve them, but that’s been there from the first day.”
Shooting guard Rodney Hood has lost his starting job to Mitchell but he’s handling it well, as Eric Woodyard of the Deseret News relays. Hood still leads the team in scoring and accepts his new role as the top option on the second unit. “Just being a professional and not taking a step back and don’t think nothing less of myself,” Hood told Woodyard. “I know I can play with the best of them, regardless of when I’m getting in I’ve got to put in work so that’s how I approach it.”