Miami Heat guard Dru Smith exited the first half of Monday’s game against the Brooklyn Nets with a lower left leg injury. At the time of this publishing, there is no definitive diagnosis. Though it was a non-contact injury and Smith was helped off the court by teammates Nikola Jovic and Alec Burks.
He did not return.
Smith suffered the injury in the second quarter. The 6-foot-3 guard played just seven minutes with just one shot attempt, tallying one rebound and one assist apiece.
Heading into Monday, the 26-year-old was having easily the best season of his career. On a two-way contract, Smith was averaging 6.8 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.6 steals in 20.1 minutes per game, shooting 51.7 percent from the floor, 53.3 percent from 3-point range and 76.9 percent from the free-throw line.
Smith continued to take advantage of an increased role–as he continued to display sensational on-ball defense while looking considerably more comfortable offensively with the ball in his hands. He’s arguably the team’s best point-of-attack defender in the backcourt–and it consistently showed. Over his previous six games, he averaged 10.5 points on 53.8/50.0/76.9 shooting splits. Over that span, he played 29.3 minutes per night with three games totaling at least 30 minutes (plus one more with 29).
He was limited to just nine games last year after suffering a season-ending ACL Sprain in November of 2023, ending his season before it was able to get off the ground. Unfortunately, depending on the prognosis, the third-year guard could miss even more time.
After the Heat freed up a second roster spot with the Thomas Bryant trade, Smith was the overwhelming favorite to secure the team’s 14th standard contract. The spot remains open with less than one week (Dec. 29 deadline) to fill it. Will the Heat look internally at Keshad Johnson or Josh Christopher or will they look externally?
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I am hoping the injury is not as bad as it looked. We will have more information tomorrow but it definitely doesn’t look good.
This presents an interesting dilemma for the team. The assumption was that Dru would get a regular contract to fill the slot left open with the Bryant trade. The Heat are REQUIRED to fill that slot in 15 (14?) days from that trade, or now within the next week. So now, who gets the 14th spot? The leading candidates imo are Keshad or Christopher. If one of those gets it, they can give the open 2-way to Stevens. Dark horse candidates are Little, who has been playing very well for the Skyforce. Little is not eligible for a 2-way. And then there is Dennis Smith Jr, but I’m not a fan.
We had a lot of troubles bringing the ball over the midfield line, so we need a point guard.
I have a really bad sense of this injury. This can be life changing moment in his life, only a week away of a big contract and long term safety.
He proved he belongs, and I m not against to give him a regular contract despite this injury. But its a cruel world, and teams interest is about all. He wont get it, if there is a serious injury.