Miami Heat Guard Dru Smith Possibly Facing Another Challenge After Leg Injury

Jake Elman | 13 Hours Ago

Dec 23, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat guard Dru Smith (12) reacts while dribbling the basketball against Brooklyn Nets guard Keon Johnson (45) during the second quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Miami Heat guard Dru Smith faces another potential challenge in a career that’s lacked no shortage of obstacles.

Smith left Monday’s victory over the Brooklyn Nets with a lower left leg injury. Teammates Alec Burks and Nikola Jović helped Smith off the court. 

Smith had a rebound and an assist in seven minutes Monday night. He did not return after the injury. 

“I don’t know the extent and don’t want to pontificate until we get the MRI,” head coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters. “We were all messed up for a while.”

Sending thoughts to Dru Smith, who had to be helped off the court in the second quarter against Brooklyn 🙏 pic.twitter.com/XKkjkKeqWm

— HEAT on FanDuel Sports Network (@FanDuelSN_Heat) December 24, 2024

Smith, who turns 27 on Dec. 30, is no stranger to rocks in the road. He went undrafted in 2021 and has been waived and re-signed four times in three seasons. Miami waived him last March, less than four months after he tore his ACL.

Smith is on a two-way contract. He averages career-highs in points (6.3), rebounds (2.8), and steals (1.5) over 19.1 minutes.

Prior to Smith’s injury Monday night, he’d played at least 25 minutes in each of Miami’s previous seven games. He even started his first game of the year in Saturday’s crushing loss to the Magic. 

“We have incredible, deep respect for his journey and what he has to overcome,” Spoelstra said. “I’ve been in the building all those times last year when nobody else was here, and he was doing all the extensive treatment and rehab round the clock. 

“He has incredible fortitude,” Spoelstra added. “You end up absolutely rooting for guys like Dru.”

Added Jović: "I just want to say I love him, and that we're all with him, and we're praying for him."

The Heat return to the court Thursday against the Magic.

BUTLER REMAINS OUT

Smith isn’t the only notable name on the Heat’s injury report. All-Star forward Jimmy Butler missed his second straight game Monday with a stomach illness.

Butler, who remains the subject of trade rumors, has already missed time this year with an ankle ailment and right knee soreness. 

Butler averages 18.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.9 assists. He’s shooting the ball better than ever and owns a career-high 55.2 field-goal percentage.

Terry Rozier also missed Monday's win with left knee inflammation.

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Jake Elman works as a contributing writer to Miami Heat on SI. He can be reached at jakeelman97@gmail.com or follow him on X @JakeElman97.