As the Miami Heat prepare to take on the Eastern Conference this season, they will start the preseason with key injuries to star players such as Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Josh Richardson. With Herro looking to solidify his role with the team , he will miss not only Monday’s scrimmage open to the public, but also the preseason opener Tuesday against the Charlotte Hornets.
Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra spoke about wanting to limit the injuries for this season since the past two years have been rough in that department. So far, the three mentioned players will look to recovery as quickly as possible.
Heat’s Tyler Herro wanted to focus on health this season
For Herro, it was a focus this season to bulk up and stay healthy this season, but adds another issue as he’s dealing with a right groin strain. He will be listed as day-to-day as the Heat told ClutchPoints with the start of the season in question though there is plenty of time until the opener on Oct. 23 against the Orlando Magic.
Herro was looking to stay healthy this upcoming season as said before where even Heat president Pat Riley said during his end of season press conference last May that he has been “fragile” after playing 42 games.
“He’s been fragile, a little bit,” Riley said in his end of season press conference. “He broke his hand last year in the playoffs. He had some injuries earlier in his career. And there isn’t anybody that works harder at his game. He works. He puts the time in, in the weight room. So how does he keep his calorie intake? So he might have to go to another level nutritionally. He’s gotten stronger. But as the season progresses, you lose some of that. So he’s got to make some adjustments, definitely.”
“His major injuries are real,” Riley continued. “And so, we’re just hoping we can get through a season where he’s playing in that 72- to 82-game basis. Maybe one year he will surprise and play every game.”
Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Josh Richardson out for preseason opener
As for Jaquez, he is coming off an impressive rookie campaign where he even finished on the NBA All-Rookie First Team, but will miss the scrimmage and the first preseason game Tuesday against the Hornets. He is listed with a left groin injury which might be concerning to some since he has dealt with injuries in that same area before.
Like with Herro, he will be listed as “day to day” in the hopes of getting some action in the preseason to prepare for a hopeful exceptional sophomore season. Last season, Jaquez averaged 12.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, and three assists per game while shooting 40.4 percent from the field and 32.2 percent from the three-point line.
Now with Richardson, he will also miss the scrimmage and the preseason opener as he’s still recovering from a season-ending shoulder injury last season. The Heat star is in the midst of going through rehab for a hopeful debut in the regular season where he averaged 9.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game while shooting 44.4 percent from the field and 34.7 percent from deep.
At any rate, the Heat look to find some semblance for themselves after a productive training camp, though they will hope for speedy recoveries for Herro, Jaquez, and Richardson. The first preseason game is Tuesday, but the first one at home will be Thursday, Oct. 10 vs. the Atlanta Hawks and the regular season opener is on Oct. 23 against the Orlando Magic at Kaseya Center.
