Miami Heat Rumors: Dion Waiters might need ankle surgery

Miami Heat guard Dion Waiters might need ankle surgery, but he’ll wait until after the season to consider it

Dion Waiters missed the last 13 games of last season with a bad ankle injury. It probably cost the Miami Heat a playoff spot. Nevertheless, roughly eight months later, Waiters is missing games once again because of said ankle.

Waiters elected against surgery in the offseason, probably because he was a free agent and his value likely would’ve taken a hit if it was concluded that he would miss the start of the season.

Now, though, both he and the Heat are feeling the repercussions of that decision.

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Waiters has now missed two games with his most recent ankle injury, and is now admitting that his ankle probably won’t completely heal until he has a surgical procedure on it.

Problem is, he won’t consider such a move until after the season.

"[via South Florida Sun Sentinel]Dion Waiters will consider having surgery this offseason to repair his problematic left ankle, conceding Tuesday that it probably won’t be fully healed until such a procedure takes place.…Waiters considered surgery last summer, deciding against it because he would not have been ready for the start of this season. He said when the time comes he’ll discuss with his family and advisers how best to proceed."

Credit Waiters for gutting it out. Playing through injury isn’t easy, especially when it comes to ankles. However, it should be noted that he does have a clause in his contract that allows him to collect an additional $1.1 million if he appears in 70 games this season.

That has to be a factor, on some level, in his decision making. And that’s fine.

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At the same time, does that help the Heat any? Are the Heat better with a hobbled Waiters in the lineup vs. him getting right? It’s an interesting question, and dilemma, to say the least.

Waiters is averaging 14 points and four assists per game on 40 percent shooting and 30 percent from 3-point range – all numbers that are down from last season.