Heat forward Okaro White is out indefinitely after breaking a bone in his left foot during Tuesday’s practice, the team announced in a tweet. Surgery is set for Thursday for White, who fractured his fifth metatarsal.
The second-year player has appeared in just six games this season, but started four times in late October and early November. He is averaging 3.3 points and 1.8 rebounds in 13.3 minutes per night.
“It just kills you when you see something like this happen,” said Miami coach Erik Spoelstra. “He’ll be back, he has a lot of resiliency.” (Twitter link)
The Heat still have their $4.3MM room exception available, notes ESPN’s Bobby Marks, but they would have to clear a roster spot to use it (Twitter link). Miami is already missing swingman Rodney McGruder, who had surgery last month on a left tibia stress fracture.
You’ve got to be kidding me…guys have been missing seasons with that injury too…2 guys that are so important for so many of the same reasons, and the numbers so far this season show how much they’ve missed McGruder in multiple areas. They were our 2 best conditioned guys in camp too. That AJ Hammons roster spot is glaring right now. Something has to happen there.
Mcgruder has been a huge loss but barring any other injuries losing white really doesn’t hurt us. Hes not a part of the rotation.
He wasn’t part of the rotation, and our bench has looked bad. We keep putting Winslow and JJ in lineups together where someone else is at the 5. Okaro could have seen minutes as a small ball 5/at the 4 to mitigate that issue. He also helps in some of the areas of need without Mcgruder.