Dion Waiters Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Waiters Calls Suspension “A Minor Setback”

November 17th, 2019 at 10:22am CST by Arthur Hill

Dion Waiters couldn’t be with the Heat last night because he’s in the middle of a 10-game suspension, so he traveled to Syracuse to watch the Orange and get some advice from his college coach, writes Donna Ditota of Syracuse.com.

“I just wanted to come up and talk to coach (Jim Boeheim),” Waiters said in his first public comments since the season began. “I know that’s a person who will always be there for me if I ever need anything. It’s a chance for me to come up, be around, talk to the coaches, things like that. And that’s important.”

It’s been a troubled season already for Waiters, who was also suspended for opening night after clashing with Miami coach Erik Spoelstra in a preseason argument about playing time. Waiters has only been active for two games and hasn’t taken the court at all.

The emergence of rookies Kendrick Nunn and Tyler Herro has made Waiters expendable in an already crowded backcourt. The Heat have reportedly tried to work out a trade, but haven’t found any interest in Waiters, who is making $12.1MM this year and is under contract for 2020/21 at $12.65MM.

The current suspension is the result of a medical incident on the team plane last week. Waiters passed out after consuming a THC-infused “gummy” and reportedly suffered a panic attack when he was revived. The Heat suspended him for conduct detrimental to the team.

In his conversation with Ditota, Waiters refused to discuss the specifics of what happened on the team flight, but insisted he’s still “in a great place” mentally.

“I can only control what I can control at the end of the day, so some things you just can’t allow to take your head the other way, some things happen for a reason,” he said. “If you stay locked in, if you believe and trust in yourself, trust in the work you put in, you know, it’s a minor setback. It happens. It’s life. You learn from it. The only thing I can do is move forward. Stay focused. Stay even-keeled. Let everything else take care of itself.”

Heat Notes: Waiters, Paul, Olynyk

November 13th, 2019 at 9:08am CST by ChrisCrouse

Dion Waiters is in the midst of a 10-game suspension for the Heat and there have been conflicting reports on what the team wants to do with the shooting guard once he returns from his time away. Some writers have speculated that Waiters has played his last game with the club while Shams Charania indicated that the team is going to welcome him back.

Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald hears that the door is open for a return, but it would take a lot for Waiters to earn the trust of the franchise again. Waiters would need to do “absolutely everything right” for Miami to consider playing him again, Jackson writes, adding the caveat that an injury in the team’s backcourt may make the club soften its stance.

The Heat have yet to come to a consensus within the organization on how they are going to operate when Waiters does return. A buyout is possible but unlikely; an outright release is even more unlikely given Miami’s hard cap issues; a trade may take some hard selling to another NBA club.

Waiters’ suspension will end after the team’s Nov. 29 game vs. the Warriors. Here’s more on the Heat:

Agent Rich Paul could be the X-factor in what happens with Waiters’ future. Paul represents the shooting guard, as Jackson adds in the same piece, and it’s possible that the agent will use his influence to challenge an unfavorable decision the Heat make.
Coach Erik Spoelstra is thrilled with the team’s big man rotation, particularly Kelly Olynyk and Meyers Leonard, which give the Heat two bigs who can stretch the floor.“You want to be able to exploit opponent defenses, and we have two seven-footers who can stretch the floor,” Spoelstra said (via Jackson in the same piece). “It opens up the floor to attackers and for the pick-and-roll game. They each have a different way of getting to their strengths. Meyers is such a great screener, gets guys open. KO has some playmaking ability as well that can put unique pressure on a defense.”
Kendrick Nunn has been getting feedback from Dwyane Wade on his game and the rookie is soaking up the information, as Jackson relays.“He told me he’s happy for me, to continue to develop and learn, be a sponge, just learn as much as I can,” Nunn said. “It was definitely meaningful coming from him, someone who has been in this organization and left their legacy here and created a culture, has been part of a culture and championship for years. It was definitely big coming from him. I’ve been watching him since I can remember. Years going back, he was one of my favorite players for sure.”

Poll: Will Dion Waiters Play For Heat This Season?

November 12th, 2019 at 9:58am CST by Luke Adams

Dion Waiters will serve the second game of his 10-game suspension on Tuesday night as the Heat host the Pistons, and the team wasn’t saying much about his situation on Monday, as Khobi Price of The South Florida Sun Sentinel details. With Waiters ineligible to return until December 1, we’ll have to wait and see what the next step is for the franchise and the 27-year-old guard, who has yet to play a single minute this season.

Assuming Miami isn’t hit hard by the injury bug during the rest of November, it’s probably safe to assume the club’s rotation will be relatively set by the end of the month, meaning there won’t be minutes waiting for Waiters when his suspension ends, writes Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. If that’s the case, it will be interesting to see how Waiters responds, since his one-game suspension to open the season was related to expressing displeasure with his role.

According to Shams Charania of Stadium (video link), the Heat have made it clear to Waiters that they want him to earn a role, but he’ll have to get back in the team’s good graces before that happens. Even then, there’s no guarantee the former No. 4 overall pick would play regular minutes for Miami.

If there’s no path to a rotation spot for Waiters, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that the Heat could pay him to stay home. In fact, Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel estimates there’s a 50-50 chance that it plays out that way, suggesting that the over/under for Waiters appearances this season might have to be set at zero.

Even if Waiters remains away from the Heat though, there’s “zero chance” the team will release him at this point, Winderman writes in a separate Sun Sentinel article. Waiters still has two years remaining on his contract, with a guaranteed $12.65MM cap hit for the 2020/21 season, so unless he agrees to give up some of his guaranteed salary in a buyout agreement – which he has no incentive to do – it makes more sense to keep him around. In theory, he could be used as a salary-matching chip in a trade at some point.

For now though, the plan is ostensibly for Waiters to serve his time, rejoin the Heat, and work to earn minutes. In today’s poll, we want to know if that’s how you think this saga plays out. Will Waiters play another game for the Heat or not?

Vote in our poll, then head to the comment section below to share your thoughts!

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.

Dion Waiters Suspended For 10 Games

November 10th, 2019 at 3:42pm CST by Luke Adams

Heat guard Dion Waiters has been suspended for 10 games without pay, league sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). According to Charania (Twitter link), the suspension is club-issued, with the Heat citing conduct detrimental to the team.

The Heat made their decision in the wake of Waiters experiencing a medical episode on a team flight after consuming a “gummy,” an edible form of marijuana. Per Charania (via Twitter), the club believes Waiters was given that gummy by a teammate, but the veteran guard hasn’t been willing to say where he got it from.

“We are very disappointed in Dion’s actions this season that include the very scary situation on Thursday night, and grateful that the outcome wasn’t worse,” the Heat said in a statement. “There have been a number of instances this season in which Dion has engaged in conduct detrimental to the team.

“… We expect all of our players, including Dion, to conduct themselves in accordance with the highest standards, and to show professionalism and respect for their teammates, the team, the fans and the NBA community.”

According to Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (via Twitter), Waiters’ suspension began on Friday when Miami faced the Lakers. As such, he’ll be eligible to return on December 1 in Brooklyn. Based on how his season has gone so far, however, it’s safe to say Waiters won’t be immediately reinserted into the Heat’s lineup at that point.

This is already the second time Waiters has been suspended in 2019/20 — the Heat also banned him for the first game of the season due to conduct detrimental to the team. Since then, he has been inactive for nearly all the club’s games and has yet to play a single regular-season minute.

The 27-year-old made additional waves when he took to social media following his first suspension and took shots at head coach Erik Spoeltra, commenting on one Instagram post, “I would win if I had Bron & Wade plus Bosh.” Winderman suggests (via Twitter) that Waiters’ social media posts were a factor in the latest discipline levied by the Heat.

As Bobby Marks of ESPN observes (via Twitter), Waiters’ latest suspension will cost him in excess of $834K in salary. He’s also now ineligible to receive his $1.2MM bonus for playing in at least 70 games, though that looked like a long shot anyway, based on how the first few weeks of the season played out.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Latest On Dion Waiters

November 9th, 2019 at 9:56pm CST by Arthur Hill

The medical episode that Heat guard Dion Waiters experienced during a team flight was a panic attack that resulted from “consuming a THC-infused edible,” sources tell Brian Windhorst and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

The incident happened after Thursday’s game in Phoenix, which Waiters missed because of a stomachache. He was trying to relieve that condition when he took a substance that he wasn’t familiar with, according to the ESPN writers, and received medical treatment when the plane landed in Los Angeles. Heat officials declined to comment on the report.

THC is included on the NBA’s list of banned substances. The league, its teams and the Players Association are all prohibited from releasing information about the testing or treatment of players in the anti-drug program, tweets salary cap expert Albert Nahmad. The only exceptions involve suspension or dismissal of players for drug violations.

Nahmad notes that players with marijuana violations are required to enter into the league’s marijuana program. There is no penalty for a first violation, but the league imposes a $25K fine for a second offense, a five-game suspension for a third offense and longer suspensions for subsequent violations (Twitter link).

South Florida Fox Sports Radio host Andy Slater reported Friday that Waiters overdosed on “gummies,” which is a term for an edible form of marijuana. Gummies have been readily available in Denver, where the Heat began their latest road trip, since Colorado legalized recreational marijuana.

Waiters has yet to play this season and has only been on the bench for two of the team’s nine games. His contract includes a $1.2MM bonus if he plays 70 games, but that seems unthinkable now, especially in light of the new revelations. Waiters is signed through the end of next season and is owed a total of $24.75MM.

Dion Waiters Suffers Medical Episode On Team Flight

November 9th, 2019 at 11:34am CST by marksuleymanov

In the latest chapter of what’s been a troubling season for Dion Waiters, the Heat swingman reportedly suffered a seizure after the team plane landed in Los Angeles on Thursday night.

As first reported by South Florida Fox Sports Radio host Andy Slater (Twitter links), Waiters suffered a “medical emergency” on the flight. Slater noted that Waiters overdosed on “gummies,” a term for an edible form of marijuana. Waiters was passed out when the plane landed and suffered the seizure once he was awoken, Slater added.

Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel confirmed that Waiters fell ill on that Thursday night flight. Winderman mentioned that its unclear whether or not Slater’s report of “gummies” was referencing marijuana but they are easily accessible in Denver, where the Heat began a three-game road trip against the Nuggets.

The Heat have not confirmed any of these reports outside of listing Waiters as unavailable for Friday’s loss to the Lakers due to “illness,” without further specification.

Waiters, 27, was expected to be a key contributor for Miami this season but instead has yet to suit up. It all started with a one-game suspension ahead of the club’s season opener in late October.

“There were a number of unacceptable incidents this week, culminating with his unprofessional conduct on the bench last night,” team president Pat Riley said at the time. “As a consequence, I feel we had to suspend him.”

The issue proved to be a heated conversation with head coach Erik Spoelstra over Waiters’ playing time. He played for just 10 minutes during the Heat’s final preseason game, which led to the blowup. Following the suspension, Waiters was critical of the team and Spoelstra on social media, commenting on one Instagram post, “I would win if I had Bron & Wade plus Bosh.”

Since then, Waiters has been active for a few of the Heat’s games and been a regular at shootaround, However, he has yet to play in a regular-season game and has not been on the bench for a single game. On Friday, we relayed uncertainty around Waiters’ status with the team.

After this latest development, Waiters’ personal health and well being will be at the forefront of the team’s concerns. However, it’s fair to wonder if Waiters — who has two years and $25MM left on his deal — will ever play for the Heat again.

Latest On Dion Waiters

November 8th, 2019 at 12:27pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Dion Waiters has yet to play for the Heat this season and it’s fair to wonder if he will ever play for the team again, as a trade remains possible.

Yet, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald hears that “no palatable trade scenario” has emerged for Waiters. Miami isn’t interested in attaching an asset to Waiters to move him, especially if the team receives a lesser player in return.

The best-case scenario for Waiters and the team may be to start fresh, despite Waiters’ social media jabs at the team, the suspension, and the reported conditioning issues. The former top-five pick may not warrant a huge role for this deep Heat roster. However, his offensive skill set could provide the team with value off of the bench.

Waiters has two seasons and roughly $25MM left on his deal. The shooting guard has spent the last three seasons with the Heat after stints with the Thunder and Cavs.

Latest On Dion Waiters

November 6th, 2019 at 8:48am CST by Luke Adams

After being activated for the first time this season on Sunday vs. Houston, Dion Waiters was back on the inactive list for the Heat on Tuesday, writes Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel.

As Winderman observes, the question of when Waiters will return appears to be turning into a question of if he’ll return. The veteran guard has yet to play in a game this season, and two-way player Chris Silva and little-used big man Udonis Haslem were among those active ahead of him in Denver on Tuesday.

“Dion will not be active. He will work out,” head coach Erik Spoelstra said before Tuesday’s game. “I met with him. He and I talked. Things are a little bit fluid right now, because we have everybody available right now, which is a good thing. And then we’ll continue to work it out.”

Waiters’ situation has been a “weird subplot” during an otherwise strong start to the season for the Heat, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald, who tweets that the team hasn’t found “anything palatable” on the trade market for the 27-year-old.

In a separate story for the Sun Sentinel, Winderman wonders if the Heat simply don’t want to risk compromising the good chemistry the team has developed in the first two weeks of the season by re-inserting Waiters in the mix. Winderman also speculates that the negative comments Waiters made on social media in the wake of his one-game suspension to open the season may have represented a tipping point for the Heat.

As Winderman points out in another story, Heat president Pat Riley is treating the Waiters situation a little differently than he did when Hassan Whiteside complained about his playing time in recent years. With Whiteside, Riley nudged Spoelstra to make the situation work and find a role for the big man. In Waiters’ case, Riley appears content to leave the ball in Spoelstra’s court, per Winderman.

Heat Notes: Herro, Waiters, Winslow, Butler, Arena

November 3rd, 2019 at 5:27pm CST by JD Shaw

Heat rookie Tyler Herro has impressed during his first five games with the franchise, scorching teams on the offensive end and displaying a level of maturity not typically seen in 19-year-old players.

Herro, the No. 13 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, has averaged 16.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and 32.2 minutes per contest thus far. He holds shooting marks of 45% from the floor and 36% from three-point range, starting in three of those five games. He’s slated to once again come off the bench against Houston on Sunday night.

“This is my first time [coming off the bench], but I’m willing to do whatever coach wants me to do,” Herro said, according to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. “Whether it’s start or come off the bench — whatever is best for the team.

“I’ve never come off the bench, so as long as I’m playing my minutes — and however much coach thinks that should be. But as long as I’m playing my minutes that I’ve earned, then I’m good.”

Many league observers tabbed Herro as most likely to start at shooting guard for Miami this season, but the elevated play from fellow rookie Kendrick Nunn (22.4 PPG on 52% shooting) has kept Herro from receiving a solidified starting role.

The Heat have opened the 2019/20 season at 4-1, with their only loss coming on the road to Minnesota during the second half of a back-to-back.

There’s more out of Miami tonight:

Dion Waiters will be available to play for the Heat in their home game against the Rockets on Sunday, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald (Twitter link). Waiters was suspended by the team for their first game after expressing frustration over his lack of playing time in the preseason, with the 27-year-old being listed as out since then.
Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel examines whether a Justise Winslow–Jimmy Butler pairing will work for the team. Both Winslow and Butler share similar play styles, working hard on the defensive end while mostly operating inside the arc offensively.
TD Bank has had serious discussions with Miami-Dade County to acquire naming rights for the Heat’s arena, Jackson writes for the Miami Herald. One source labeled TD Bank as front-runners to acquire naming rights for the arena, according to Jackson, though another source cautioned that other companies still remain in the mix. American Airlines will not be pursuing a renewal of its 20-year contract for naming rights.

Eastern Notes: Giannis, Raptors, Heat, Thompson

October 30th, 2019 at 2:10pm CST by Luke Adams

If Giannis Antetokounmpo becomes a free agent during the summer of 2021, the Raptors are likely to be one of his “chief pursuers,” sources tell John Hollinger of The Athletic.

It’s entirely possible that Antetokounmpo won’t even reach the open market, since the Bucks intend to put a super-max extension offer on the table for him next summer as soon as they’re eligible to do so. And even if the star forward does opt for free agency, it’s not as if the Raptors won’t face competition from just about every other team in the NBA.

Still, it makes sense that the Raptors would zero in on Antetokounmpo specifically as they consider future targets. President of basketball operations Masai Ujiri reportedly helped Giannis and his family emigrate from Nigeria to Greece, and tried to trade into the 2013 draft to select him. The Raps haven’t had much luck luring top American-born free agents to Toronto in the past, but might believe they’d have a better shot with an international star like Antetokounmpo, especially now that they have a championship under their belt.

It’s far too early to draw any conclusions about Giannis’ future, but until he re-ups with the Bucks or ends up elsewhere, it’s safe to assume the Raptors will be retaining their 2021 cap flexibility in the hopes he considers them.

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

Dion Waiters and James Johnson both practiced with the Heat today, tweets Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. However, only Johnson will travel to Atlanta with the team, as he has reached his conditioning targets while Waiters hasn’t, per Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (Twitter link). Neither player has suited up for the club yet this season due to conditioning issues.
Tristan Thompson, who is in a contract year with the Cavaliers, has never made an All-Defense team, but wants that to change this season, as Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com relays. “I want to guard the best wings and big on every team,” Thompson said. “I want to make their night tough, to gain that respect defensively around the league. [A] goal of mine is to make first team All-Defense. The way you do that is guarding the best players.”
Appearing on Big Apple Buckets, the New York Post’s podcast, Charles Oakley suggested that he’s open to trying to bury the hatchet with Knicks ownership after a contentious saga that saw him banned from MSG, writes Greg Joyce of The Post. Oakley also weighed in on how the Knicks should respond to Kevin Durant‘s comments about the team not being “cool.”