Coming into the season, some Miami Heat fans were hoping to see Omer Yurtseven play a solid role for the team. However, it has been 13 games, and the Turkish national has not yet suited up due to injury.
It seems that it may take a few more months before he can be seen on the court again. According to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald, Yurtseven plans on undergoing surgery for his injured left ankle.
“Miami Heat center Omer Yurtseven intends to undergo surgery on his injured left ankle this upcoming week, barring a change of heart, multiple league sources told the Miami Herald,” wrote Chiang.
“Yurtseven has already missed each of the Heat’s first 13 regular-season games, including Saturday night’s 132-115 win over the Charlotte Hornets at FTX Arena. And now he’ll miss another extended stretch with the Heat (6-7) set to close its four-game homestand on Monday against the Phoenix Suns (7:30 p.m., Bally Sports Sun), but the team’s hope is that he’ll return to play at some point this season.
“The expectation is the recovery from the impending surgery will keep Yurtseven out for up to three months. Based on that timeline, he may be able to return by March.”
It is quite an unfortunate turn of events for the promising big man after he had a solid rookie season in the NBA. He finished the 2021-22 campaign with averages of 5.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. While his regular season numbers were not that stellar, some fans have pointed to how well he played in 12 games as a starter last season.
In those 12 games, he averaged 12.1 points and 12.7 rebounds per contest.
The Heat are already preparing for life without Yurtseven. They made a series of roster moves on Sunday to help bolster the team’s frontcourt depth in light of the center’s expected extended absence.
First, the team waived Dru Smith, a 6-foot-3 guard who went undrafted in the 2021 NBA Draft. Smith had been on a two-way deal and appeared in just one game for Miami this season.
The next step was signing rookie Orlando Robinson to the two-way contract slot that Smith previously occupied. Robinson is no stranger to the Heat organization, as the center played for Miami in the preseason and has spent time with its G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce.
It’s unclear whether or not Robinson will see some minutes for the Heat, as several players are ahead of him on the depth chart. But having him as insurance in case of injuries is advantageous for Miami.
The Heat are currently near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings and will certainly look to improve their record in order to earn a high seed come playoff time. Hopefully, they can extend their two-game winning streak on Monday when they host the Suns. After that contest, the squad will embark on a four-game road trip.
