As the Miami Heat gear up for their game against the Charlotte Hornets, they shared an intriguing injury report concerning guard Josh Richardson.
The 31-year-old player suffered a season-ending shoulder injury, which required surgery, and he also has a heel injury, although there’s some encouraging news regarding his recovery. Before Saturday’s game, Miami announced that centers Kevin Love and rookie Kel’el Ware would be unavailable due to personal reasons and an illness, respectively. On the other hand, Richardson saw his status upgraded to “questionable” after initially being ruled out for several preseason games. Head coach Erik Spoelstra addressed Richardson’s recovery during shoot-around, noting his positive progress after last season’s shoulder surgery and heel issue, as reported by Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald in an interview with Jason Jackson. “He’s making progress,” Spoelstra commented on Richardson.
So I’m encouraged by it. I know he is, as well. No specific timeline yet, but he’s practicing and doing all the right things right now.” Richardson is a veteran in the NBA, having started his career with the Heat after being drafted in the second round (40th overall) in 2015 from the University of Tennessee. He played four seasons in Miami before a sign-and-trade sent him to the Philadelphia 76ers to acquire Jimmy Butler, subsequently playing for five different teams.
Richardson was re-signed by the Heat ahead of the 2023-24 season, marking a reunion that was unfortunately cut short due to a shoulder injury he sustained on February 11 against the Boston Celtics, requiring season-ending surgery. He expressed to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald that he feels there’s “unfinished business” this season. “I feel like I have some unfinished business from last year,” Richardson remarked. “I want to see how long I can maintain the form I was starting to find.” He shared his thoughts on his recovery in July, saying, “I’ve never faced anything this serious before.
It’s tough having to sit out for four months with limited activity. But I’m taking it step by step, trying to pace myself and not get too ahead or discouraged. I know I can’t just wake up one day and be back to normal. But I’m excited to be on my way back.” As the Heat gear up for a competitive Eastern Conference, they will need all the productive players available, and Richardson can contribute from the bench. However, concerns linger about whether his game might be affected by his injuries, especially considering his slow recovery, which has included restrictions on his shooting range since July. “I’ve been on the court for three days now,” Richardson said about his training as he prepares for the upcoming season. “I’m working on mid-range shots, which is the farthest I can shoot right now.
I’m also practicing some floaters, but I’m not ready to shoot threes yet. It’s helpful because it allows me to break down my shot and rebuild it from the basics.”
Last season with the Heat, Richardson averaged 9.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game, shooting 44.4 percent from the field and 34.7 percent from three-point range. The most frustrating aspect for him was that leading up to his injury on February 11, he was beginning to find his rhythm, averaging just over 13 points, 4.2 rebounds, and two assists in his last six games. “I feel like every year I play here, including my first, I start to find my best basketball during the second half of the season,” Richardson stated. “That’s what was starting to happen, and it’s unfortunate that it was cut short.”
As fans are well aware, Miami faced significant injury challenges in recent years, particularly last season, with key players like Tyler Herro, Jimmy Butler, Terry Rozier, Duncan Robinson, and Kevin Love missing substantial time. While Spoelstra is confident that things will improve this season, the team believes they could harness more consistency and unlock their potential. “It’s disappointing because we know what potential we had,” Richardson noted. “We were just a few games away from the No. 4 seed. When your key rotation players and best player get hurt at a critical time, you can’t help but wonder what could have been.”
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