What to make of Miami Heat’s Dion Waiters’ season-ending surgery

Season-ending surgery on Miami Heat’s Dion Waiters’ ankle, is the cherry on top of a $52 million contract.

New year, same Dion Waiters.

Fewer than 365 moons have passed since the Miami Heat guard missed time to a nagging ankle injury. Sitting the final 13 games of last season, Waiters hedged his bets that summer on a juicy new contract, instead of opting for surgery on his ailing ankle.

Just six months after signing a four-year, $52 million deal, the same left ankle injury has flared up again. And it was announced yesterday that Waiters will finally opt to undergo season-ending surgery.

We’ve all heard the myths about “contract-year Waiters,” but this takes the cake.

Normally, the story goes that after Waiters pens a new deal, he starts to slouch. This version of the guard first reared itself this season when images of a husky Waiters surfaced, during the Heat’s trip to Mexico City.

And while it turned out that Waiters was dressed in many layers when the photo was snapped, the criticism was valid. Making $11 million this season, a cool $8 million more than he made last year, was enough to ignite criticism over Waiters’ dedication to hoops when faced with cold, hard cash.

Now, with $47 million of that $52 million guaranteed, Waiters can sit back, relax, and soak up South Beach as his ankle heals.

But coming to terms with Waiters’ decision to have surgery is actually more complicated than it seems.

In his second year with the Heat, Miami was aware of the potential ankle damage after he missed the end of last season. Signing Waiters to a big deal with a chance of his absence, falls partly on Miami’s shoulders.

Still, Waiters forewent surgery, waiting until he cut a cushy deal. In that time, the already problematic ankle wasn’t improving, and Waiters essentially set the Heat up for failure amidst a host of other injuries.

Even worse for Dion than the injury, however, is how well the Heat have played without him. Sidelined since December 23, Miami has amassed a 7-2 record, including an active six-game winning streak.

As trade rumors begin to take residence in South Beach, Waiters’ choice to have season-ending surgery puts even more pressure on the Heat, who have to consider moving other pieces given Waiters’ low trade stock.

Earlier this season, Waiters made clear his intentions to stay a starter. While his clutch play warrants late-game minutes, his hot-and-cold starts and modest 14.3 points per game shouldn’t come equipped with such an ego. The Heat are a blue-collar team, made of former G-League prospects and journeymen, that play greater together than the sum of their parts.

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With this injury however, Waiters and his ego are the squeaky cog in the Heat machine, holding a roster spot and a healthy amount of cap space hostage.