Heat security guard Drew Smith sprained his right calf during training camp and will be out for at least a couple of weeks, tweets Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel.
Based on that schedule, Smith could still make it before the regular-season opener at Miami on Oct. 21, but in the short term, it further depletes the team’s already limited backcourt depth. Smith is expected to be the primary backup point guard behind the starter Davion Mitchell.
For what it’s worth, the Heat do have cap space on their projected 15-man regular season roster and have been linked to veteran point guards Gabe Vincent and shut down in recent months. As Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald tweetsVincent is probably the best option of the remaining unsigned point guards, though it remains to be seen whether Smith’s injury will force the club to make a move or if the front office will be content to pat it for now.
We’ve got some more health-related NBA news here:
- Sixers Center Tacko Fall was diagnosed with a sprained left hip after undergoing an MRI on the injury and will be re-evaluated in two weeks, the team announced today (Link to Twitter via Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports). Fall is in camp with Philadelphia on a non-guaranteed deal, but is unlikely to make the regular season lineup. He will likely start the season with the Delaware Blue Coats, the 76ers’ G-League affiliate.
- Another Sixers big man Adem Bonowill be reevaluated over the next few days as he recovers from his sprained foot, tweets ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. Head coach Nick Nurse said Thursday that he hopes Bono will take the court at some point during the preseason.
- magic security guard Anthony Black is making his way back after a minor ankle sprain, so far forward Noah Penda according to Jason Bead of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter references). While neither injury is considered a cause for concern, Black and Penda are not participating fully in the team’s twice-a-day practices this week, Bidde added.
- Warriors security guard De’Anthony Melton He had surgery on both thumbs during the offseason, he said Wednesday, per Nick Friedel of The Athletic (Link to Twitter). Melton added that Friedel said he feels about 85-90% healthy and expects to play both games consistently this season, says Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area.
- Noting that Jacob Poeltl struggled with a back injury last season, TSN.ca’s Josh Levenberg suggests this may be the problem Predators the center should manage for the rest of his playing career. However, Poeltl spent the offseason working with a new strength and conditioning coach and made some changes to his training regimen to specifically address his back issue. The results so far have been positive, and the big man has been feeling better — and moving better — this fall, Levenberg wrote.