Dion Waiters’ 2019-20 season with the Miami Heat was one of the rockiest in recent memory for an NBA player.
Prior to being traded just before the trade deadline in February, Waiters faced three separate behavior-related suspensions and played in a total of just three games.
In a recent article in The Players’ Tribune, Waiters opened up about many of the obstacles he has faced in his NBA career.
In that article, he revealed his belief that his tenure in Miami was over before the 2019-20 season even began.
“I still got love for Pat [Riley],” he said. “Let’s put that on the record. Still got love for Pat, still got all the respect in the world for Micky Arison. When it was good it was good, you know? But even before this season, we knew it was over.”
The comment is somewhat puzzling.
Prior to the 2019-20 season, Waiters seemed to be brimming with confidence about what was ahead. After all, he had a chance to play a major role as a veteran guard in a lineup that was filled with much more inexperienced players.
Beyond that, Waiters still had two seasons left on his contract prior to the start of the season.
Nonetheless, it appears as though Waiters is sure that there was little he could do to remain in Miami. Perhaps that belief fed into his questionable behavior throughout the early leg of the season.
In the end, Waiters was right. Whether or not he played a hand in fulfilling his prophecy is something fans will likely never know.
Just like the rest of the NBA, Waiters is currently at home while the season is on pause. When the NBA does start back up, he’ll get the chance to earn playing time on his new team, the Los Angeles Lakers.
Waiters averaged 13.9 points, 3.6 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game during his time with the Heat.
