Dion Waiters has not suited up for the Miami Heat since Dec. 22 due to a left ankle injury. Unfortunately for the dynamic scoring guard, it appears that will be the last time he takes the floor this season.
A report indicated that Waiters was contemplating getting surgery on his ankle after speaking to multiple doctors on how to proceed. According to Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports, Waiters will opt to go under the knife, which would cause his 2017-18 campaign to come to an abrupt end.
Sources: Miami Heat guard Dion Waiters is expected to undergo season-ending surgery on his injured left ankle. Waiters has received second opinions in Los Angeles to finalize decision, league sources said.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 11, 2018
Prior to going down with the injury, Waiters appeared in 30 games for the Heat this season, averaging 14.3 points in 30.6 minutes per game. It is a brutal end to the first year of Waiters’ four-year deal that he signed with Miami over the offseason, one that will pay him a total of $52 million.
As for where the Heat can go from here, they do have Wayne Ellington, Tyler Johnson, and, when healthy, Rodney McGruder at shooting guard, so it’s not like they didn’t have some kind of backup plan in the event Waiters opted for surgery. But it’s still a tough blow for the squad, which currently sits at 24-17 and in fourth place in the Eastern Conference.
