Should Miami Heat fans blame Dion Waiters for this season?
By Chase Eyrich
Is Dion Waiters to blame for the Miami Heat falling short of their expectations this season?
It’s time to play the blame game now that the season is over. The focus this time isn’t on Hassan Whiteside or any of the other active players for that matter. Today we look at Dion Waiters.
Waiters’ season ended prematurely as surgery was necessary. But the reason why Heat Nation is upset is that Waiters knew he needed surgery on his ankle for a while; at the end of the 2016-17 season, it was clear that Waiters would need an operation at some point.
But Waiters had a good reason to postpone the surgery. He was still able to play at a high level. So in the mind of a competitive athlete, why not keep going? Waiters would have missed part of this season even if he had surgery at the conclusion of last year. If he could fight through the pain, what type of competitor would want to elect for surgery?
It was known that Waiters could have had surgery last season, but it wasn’t determined that he needed to. Looking at it from a competitive standpoint, the Heat finished the second half of last season 30-11 and narrowly missed the playoffs. There were high expectations for Miami to start out this season and Waiters wanted to be a part of it.
Can Heat fans really blame him?
It’s all about how you finish
But it’s not about where you start, it’s about where you finish. Without Waiters, the Heat finished the season with a 4-1 losing effort to the 76ers. Would Waiters have been the difference in the postseason? We’ll never know.
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Waiters Island was in business at the wrong time. Hindsight being 20/20, it’s easy to say that he should have had surgery at the end of last season so he would have been there when it mattered.
Appearing and starting in 30 games this season, Waiters averaged 14.3 points, 2.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists, with an aggravated ankle. Who knows what a fully health Waiters could have done in the second half of the season. Maybe he could have led the Heat to better seeding in the playoffs or just an extra push against the 76ers.
Who knows? Yet, it’s hard to argue that he wasn’t missed.
When it comes down to it, Heat Nation shouldn’t blame Waiters for letting his competitiveness get in the way though.
Pat Riley was ready to give Waiters a new two-year, $5.9 million deal after he told him that he was ready “to destroy.” It’s no news that he is likely the most confident player in the NBA. Heat fans should love that. He wants the ball in his hands with the game on the line because he wants to be a winner.
With Waiters’ competitiveness and confidence, does anyone doubt that he wouldn’t put his body on the line to win? Remember when Kobe Bryant hit a pair of clutch free throws with a torn Achilles against the Golden State Warriors? There wasn’t a doubt in his mind that he was going to step up to the free throw line, despite his injury.
That’s because Bryant is an ultimate competitor and Waiters is as well.
Don’t blame Waiters for having surgery at an inconvenient time for the Heat. Give him credit for wanting to push past the pain and put his body on the line for them.
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Things didn’t pan out for the Heat this season, but one thing is for certain: Waiters gave everything he had.