Miami Heat veteran shooting guard Dion Waiters is currently serving a 10-game suspension following an incident that took place on the team’s flight from Phoenix to Los Angeles last week.
The incident reportedly included a seizure that was brought on when Waiters ingested a THC-infused gummy.
Per a recent report from Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, one source close to situation has questioned the veracity of the claim.
“But it’s notable that the ESPN report that Waiters suffered a panic attack, after reportedly ingesting a THC-infused gummy, has been disputed by a league source with direct knowledge,” Jackson wrote. “If that ‘panic attack’ information was given to ESPN by [Rich] Paul — which wouldn’t be a stretch to conclude — it would serve Paul’s and Waiters’ interests by bringing the mental health issue into the equation.”
It’s not totally clear what this would change for Waiters. The fact remains that he has been a near-constant distraction for the Heat since before the 2019-20 regular season began. Surely, if the incident had been brought on by some unknown medical issue, the Heat would have to reconsider the suspension. However, the possibility of that actually being the case seems somewhat slim.
For now, Waiters remains out of sight and out of mind for the foreseeable future. What his future holds once he is allowed to return to the team remains to be seen.
