Despite another season with injuries to key players, the Miami Heat received some good news on Wednesday when the NBA granted them a disabled player exception due to the season-ending ankle surgery performed on guard Dion Waiters.
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The fact that Waiters won’t be returning to play this season allows the Heat to sign a player for $5.5 million. The team’s options, according to cbafaq.com include:
1. The team may sign a free agent for one season only, for 50% of the disabled player’s salary or the amount of the Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level exception, whichever is less.
2. The team may trade for a player in the last season of his contract only (including any option years), who is making no more than 50% plus $100,000 of the disabled player’s salary, or the amount of the Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level exception plus $100,000, whichever is less.
3. The team may claim a player on waivers who is in the last season of his contract only (including any option years), who is making no more than 50% of the disabled player’s salary, or the amount of the Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level exception, whichever is less.
Waiters had been attempting to avoid surgery on the left ankle that he first injured last March, since the rehabilitation period was estimated between eight to 10 months. However, after trying to play on it this season, it eventually became apparent that surgery was the only viable option as he underwent the procedure on Jan. 22.
The decision by Waiters to originally reject surgery was primarily based on the fact that he was entering the free agent market last July. He eventually re-signed with the Heat on a four-year year deal worth an estimated $52 million. Within the contract was the potential for a $1.1 million bonus if he played in 70 of the team’s 82 regular season games, with Waiters seeing action in only 30 contests this season.
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