When the Miami Heat traded for Victor Oladipo last season, they thought they were getting a borderline All-Star. Unfortunately, injuries derailed that plan entirely.
Just four games into his time with the Heat, Oladipo injured his right quadriceps tendon. He would miss the remainder of the NBA season.
Oladipo was set to be an unrestricted free agent this offseason and had high hopes of making some real money. However, not everything went according to plan.
Instead of signing a massive deal, Oladipo had to settle. The Miami Heat were able to retain him on a one-year minimum contract.
The idea for Oladipo is that he will be able to prove himself this year and then re-enter free agency next year with a chance to make some real money. As for Miami, they will have his bird rights, so they can pay him more than other teams.
It truly is a win-win contract for both parties. Oladipo gets the chance to rehab his injury, while the Heat have the chance to keep hold of a great player.
The original timetable for Oladipo’s return was rumored to be around January or February of 2022. However, according to recent information, Oladipo could be back even sooner than that.
Back in May, when Oladipo’s surgery took place, Dr. Jonathan Glashow told Adrian Wojnarowski that the shooting guard could potentially return by November. Lately, Bobby Marks took that information and told everyone to watch out for Oladipo next year.
"“I repaired the quad tendon and did it a little differently than [he had] it done before… The quad wasn’t really hooked up. It was torn, and I reattached it. I was amazed he was playing with what he had. I’m very optimistic that I could clear him in six months, by November. I think he’s going to play really well again. … [The surgery] went extremely well, and it’s healing beautifully. I’m confident he’ll play next year.”"
Marks listed Oladipo’s return (subscription required) as the best “under-the-radar” signing of this offseason. This comes just a couple of days after various NBA insiders ranked the Kyle Lowry signing as the best move of the offseason.
Needless to say, the Miami Heat had a pretty successful summer. They accomplished everything they wanted to and more.
If Victor Oladipo can return at full strength this season, the Heat will be a force to be reckoned with. Hopefully, he can bounce back from this injury sooner rather than later.