After missing more than a full year due to an ankle injury, Dion Waiters has recently returned to the Heat‘s rotation, with the team easing him back into a regular role. However, after playing just 12 minutes in a blowout loss to to the Bucks on Tuesday night, Waiters expressed frustration with his limited playing time, as Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald writes.
“F— patience!” Waiters said. “I want to play. I’ve been patient long enough. What do I got to be patient for? Come on man. I’ve been patient. I think everybody knows that. It’s time. What are we waiting for? If I’m out there, play me.”
According to Jackson, head coach Erik Spoelstra has said repeatedly that Waiters needs to be patient because he’s coming off a major injury and the Heat already have an over-crowded rotation. The 27-year-old has been available for seven games since returning to action earlier this month, but has appeared in only five, and averaged just 15.4 minutes in those contests, which would easily be a career low.
Waiters said after Tuesday’s game that his patience “has run out,” and that the “next step is being back in the starting lineup,” per Jackson. In his first two seasons with the Heat, Waiters started 73 of the 76 games he played, but he has come off the bench in his five games so far in 2018/19.
Justise Winslow, Josh Richardson, and Rodney McGruder are currently in Miami’s starting lineup, and the team also has to find playing time for Derrick Jones, Dwyane Wade, and Tyler Johnson. Throw in frontcourt minutes for starters Hassan Whiteside and James Johnson and backups Kelly Olynyk and Bam Adebayo, and it doesn’t leave much time for Waiters — or fellow shooting guard Wayne Ellington, who has fallen entirely out of the rotation. Keeping everyone happy will be even more challenging once Goran Dragic returns from his knee injury.
It will be interesting to see how the Heat, who currently hold the sixth seed in the East, manage their logjam in the coming weeks. Making a trade or two before the February 7 deadline might be in the best interests of both the club and its players.
Pistons could use his services badly. It’ll probably cost a protected first rounder
As a heat fan, I’d gladly take a first rounder to get rid of him and his contract.
At this point, he’s not going to start over Winslow or Richardson and once dragic comes back, I bet it pushes McGruder or James Johnson to the bench too. Ellington will be traded by the deadline so there’s no clear path for playing time on top of which, he needs to earn it.
He’s not a starter for a good team. Statements like this hurt his trade value (which can’t be much, and might be negative, right now). If anyone is interested in trading for him, it’s likely a team looking for a second unit scorer, and wanting it bad enough that they’re willing to take on an injury prone player with 2 more years on his deal. It’s a limited market without adding high maintenance to the resume.
Someone needs to sit Dion down and have him watch some of his games.
“Look, Dion, you’re an ok basketball player and all… but you’re not great. Sometimes, you can be good, but only sometimes. If you play better, you’ll play more. You’re not playing because you’re not that good. Maybe that’s the lingering injury, but probably it’s just you.”
I’d be happy to trade this cancer. He’s not even the top philly native I would put in the starting five. DJJ, then Ellington, and then we can see what respect Waiters can earn to gain more minutes. Comments like his are a bash to the teammates who have worked hard in game and practice to gain their minutes.
Milwaukee for a young player or two and draft pick.
Not sure he’s a guy that should get 30 minutes on a contending team. He basically got a similar deal to Jordan Clarkson, but is a less efficient player, too much of an iso player. If they are intent on dumping salary – Waiters, Johnson, Dragic, Whiteside. They’ll have to include assets – Winslow, Bam, Richardson, future 1sts.
Might be able to trade for a few expiring contracts from the Nets. It won’t be pretty but that roster is pretty average to slightly above average, which means 1st round playoff exits.
He should be getting PG minutes until Dragic returns. That would make trading him easier. Also the team might respond to such attitude– they have so far.
Winslow looks pretty good at PG.
Bas.Ref. is showing him as a 3 or 4 still. Not saying you’re wrong… maybe he’s just starting the offense & there’s other Heats oncourt covering the opposing 1s.
Kings have the most cap space.
They have 41.59M in expiring contracts.
Whitside, Waiters, Ellington, Winslow, and Adebayo for ZBo, Shumpert, Koufos, McLemore, and WCS.
Heat could look to buy out all except WCS and reduce their luxury tax. Puts them at 77M for this coming offseason. Starting 5 without FA is Dragic, TJ, J Rich, JJ, and Olynyk. No more logjam.
For the Kings, their roster is so young and cheap (50m next year) this still keeps them below the Cap limit. Ellington likely gets moved before the deadline. Whiteside is off the books after a year but maybe they showcase him the until next years deadline. Waiters could be stretched at 4.94 over 5 years. Winslow gives them a versatile wing defender and Bam > Giles.
You’re on drugs if you think the heat are giving away Winslow and Bam