Miami Heat shooting guard Dion Waiters is not participating in any contact work with teammates or playing pickup games, according to teammate Briante Weber.
Waiters only played in 30 games last season. The scoring guard underwent left ankle surgery in January. The 26-year-old averaged 14.3 points, 2.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists, shooting 39.8 percent from the field and 30.6 percent from three.
“He’s doing his own workouts. He is on his own lane,” Weber told Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. “The team we have, he doesn’t need to rush it. We have guys capable of taking his share and holding it down until he gets back. We’re preaching to him to get healthy first and don’t rush it. The one thing you don’t want is to reinjure yourself. The game’s not going anywhere. We need you for the long run.”
Dion Waiters has three years and roughly $36 million left on his contract. The Heat have gauged the trade market for Waiters this offseason, but haven’t found anything appealing.
Miami will have a crowded backcourt this season. Goran Dragic, Josh Richardson, Tyler Johnson and Wayne Ellington will all get significant playing time and that list doesn’t even include Dwyane Wade yet. Wade is still deciding if he’s going to play in 2018-19.
Once Waiters does come back, he will most likely be the Heat’s starting shooting guard.
