A tough blow to the Miami Heat might be a tougher one for a fan and team favorite.
Dru Smith sustained a lower left leg injury in the first half of Monday night’s game against the Brooklyn Nets at Kaseya Center. The injury could threaten Smith’s chance to secure a standard roster spot.
With 8:19 left in the second quarter, Smith made a move with the basketball and appeared to slip near halfcourt. The replay showed what appeared to be a pop in his left calf, a sign of what could be an Achilles tear.
Sending thoughts to Dru Smith, who had to be helped off the court in the second quarter against Brooklyn 🙏 pic.twitter.com/XKkjkKeqWm
— HEAT on FanDuel Sports Network (@FanDuelSN_Heat) December 24, 2024
Smith exited the game and went straight to the locker room with the help of team trainers. He was accompanied by his wife.
The Heat ruled Smith out for the remainder of the game shortly after.
A serious injury would be a heartbreaking setback for Smith, who worked his way back from a season-ending ACL tear he suffered last November. Smith was waived from his standard roster spot and then re-signed last summer to a two-way contract.
While on his two-way contract, Smith emerged as an impact rotation player and one of coach Erik Spoelstra’s most trusted ball-handlers. On Dec. 15, the Heat traded Thomas Bryant to the Indiana Pacers for a 2031 second-round pick swap, opening up a roster spot in the process.
That spot was expected to go to Smith. Because league rules allowed the Heat 14 days to fill the spot, they were waiting until closer to the Dec. 29 deadline to make the roster move.
Now Smith’s status on the team is in question. Not only will he not get the roster spot if he’s ruled out for the season with an injury, but he could be waived from his two-way contract altogether. Teams can swap out two-way contracts at any time without impacting the salary cap.
Without Smith, the Heat will miss a guard who Spoelstra praised for being the glue that held some of Miami’s best lineups together. Smith was instrumental in Miami’s recent four-game win streak and emerged as a staple in Spoelstra’s fourth-quarter lineups. He made an impact with his steady decision-making, on-ball defense and ability to make open 3s.
Smith averaged 6.8 points on 51.7% shooting (53.3% on 3s), 2.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.6 steals and 20.1 minutes in 13 games this season.