Heat guard Dru Smith out for season with torn Achilles after MRI confirmation

Miami Heat guard Dru Smith’s season came to an end after he suffered a torn left Achilles tendon during a game against the Brooklyn Nets on Monday. The injury occurred in the second quarter when Smith, dribbling up the court, lost the ball and collapsed without contact. He was visibly in pain and needed assistance to leave the court.

Another setback in a long recovery story

Dru Smith has been here before. A torn ACL cut his previous season short. Before that? A knee injury sidelined him in 2021-22 with the Sioux Falls Skyforce. The guy has fought through rehab after rehab, making it back to the Heat’s rotation this season.

Dru Smith was thriving, averaging career-highs with 6.3 points and 2.6 rebounds in nearly 19 minutes per game. For someone on a two-way contract, that’s progress. Or it was.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, visibly shaken, shared his thoughts after the game:

“We have incredible deep respect for his journey and what he has to overcome. 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. You end up absolutely rooting for guys like Dru.”

Fortitude only goes so far, though. An Achilles tear is a brutal injury, physically and mentally. Surgery. Months of rehab. Starting over again. It’s hard not to feel for the guy.

Heat’s next steps

In light of Smith’s absence, the Heat converted forward Keshad Johnson from a two-way contract to a standard two-year NBA deal.

Johnson has been a standout in the G League, averaging 21.2 points and 8.3 rebounds in 13 games for Sioux Falls this season. While he has seen limited minutes in the NBA, the Heat hope his performance will bolster their rotation.

The Heat, now 14-13 for the season, continue their campaign on Thursday against the Orlando Magic.

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