Say it ain’t so: are injuries already a problem for the Miami Heat?

The Miami Heat’s 2017-18 campaign has barely begun, but already they have fallen victim to multiple injuries.

The Miami Heat had a rough start to 2016-17 play. Things were bad enough having lost both Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, but then the team got hit with a plethora of injuries, bad fortune that seemed never-ending. Which ultimately resulted in an 11-30 run.

And although they did as Big Sean does and bounced back, their slow beginning cost them a trip to the postseason.

Now, on the brink of the Heat’s home opener against the Indiana Pacers, it seems injuries are once again becoming an issue.

At the same time it was announced Rodney McGruder would have to undergo surgery to repair a leg fracture, Okaro White went down with a shoulder sprain in a preseason win over the Washington Wizards. All the while, A.J. Hammons was out the entirety of preseason play with the flu.

Then, Dion Waiters’ expressed that his ankle is back to bothering him, after he decided to forgo surgery over the summer.

"“It’s just annoying, man,” Waiters said. “It sucks, for real. The littlest thing [affects it]. It’s whatever, though.”"

Maybe not whatever, considering how much the organization was hoping to depend on him this year.

And now, Hassan Whiteside has a bruised knee.

"“I was wearing padding everywhere on my knee, but it hit a spot where I was hit before,” Whiteside explained. I got an MRI on it, so it’s treatment, exercise and hip work to get back. [The doctors] ain’t give me no [time line]. It’s just kind of a day-to-day thing, to get the swelling out and stuff.”"

Certainly not the end of the world, but not exactly great news for Miami either.

Already 0-1, having fallen short to the Orlando Magic, the Heat were hoping to avoid another shaky start. A trickier feat now that a handful of guys are once again nursing injuries.

Head coach Erik Spoelstra has a theory regarding increased injuries though, pertaining to not just his team but the league as whole. He attributes the problem to a shortened preseason.

"“You’re cramming in six games, less practices, and then all of a sudden that first game it was on. And I don’t know how many, what percentage of the NBA players, were truly ready, and physically ready for how fast and aggressive a real regular-season game is.”"

He very well may have a point too.

With Gordon Hayward and Jeremy Lin out for the season, Chris Paul missing at least a month, Derrick Rose suffering an ankle sprain and a handful of other guys like Draymond Green already having to get medically cleared… there’s no denying something is up.

Even Myles Turner himself won’t be playing against Miami on Saturday night.

Next: For now, the jury is still out on Miami Heat big man Kelly Olynyk

The Miami Heat are already dealing with some health concerns, but here’s hoping history doesn’t completely repeat itself.