Miami Heat guard Dru Smith has suffered a season-ending torn Achilles tendon, sources told ESPN on Tuesday.
He suffered the injury during Monday’s victory against the Brooklyn Nets. As Smith dribbled during a possession early in the second quarter, he lost the ball on a turnover and immediately fell to the court grimacing in pain.
Smith was escorted off the court to the locker room.
The injury, which requires surgery and months of rehabilitation, is devastating after the two-way guard made a tremendous recovery from a torn ACL just over a year ago to the Heat’s rotation and was on the cusp of a standard NBA contract.
Smith also saw his 2021-22 season with Miami’s Sioux Falls affiliate in the G League cut short by a knee injury.
“We have incredible deep respect for his journey and what he has to overcome,” coach Erik Spoelstra said after Monday’s game. “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.”
Smith, who turns 27 on Monday, was averaging career highs of 6.3 points and 2.6 rebounds in 19.1 minutes per game this season. He has been waived and re-signed by the Heat four times in his three-year career.
The Heat are converting two-way forward Keshad Johnson on a standard two-year NBA contract, sources told ESPN. Johnson has spent the season as a standout player for Heat’s G League affiliate, Sioux Falls, averaging 21.2 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.