Heat wing Josh Richardson will undergo shoulder surgery on Wednesday and is expected to miss the remainder of the season, Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press reports.
Richardson suffered a dislocated right shoulder on Feb. 11 as he pursued a loose ball early in the second quarter against Boston.
Richardson joined the team during last week’s West Coast swing with the expectation that he would return soon but surgery ultimately was deemed to be the best course of action, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports.
That’s one of the reasons why the Heat were interested in free agent guard Patty Mills, who intends to sign with the club once he clears waivers.
Richardson, who returned to the Heat as a free agent this summer after starting his career in Miami, has appeared in 43 games this season. He’s averaging 9.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists while shooting 44.4 percent from the field and 34.7 percent from three-point range.
Richardson holds a $3M option on his contract for next season. The injury could convince Richardson to opt in, rather than take his chances on the free-agent market.
