Dru Smith believes his recovery from a torn Achilles will not prevent him from returning to peak form. The Miami Heat guard expressed confidence in his rehab progress while securing a three-year, $7.9 million contract with the franchise.
“I don’t really see why not,” Smith told the Miami Herald when asked about regaining his pre-injury level. He added that Heat senior director of rehabilitation Jeff Ruiz has played a major role, saying, “I think he’s done an incredible job.”
Smith’s deal is structured with the first year fully guaranteed and the final two seasons carrying conditional guarantees.
Miami created the roster spot by trading Haywood Highsmith to Brooklyn, a move that also cleared $5.6 million in salary to stay under the cap.
The 27-year-old impressed in limited action before suffering the season-ending injury on December 24. In 14 games last season, he averaged 6.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.5 steals while shooting .508 from the field and .533 from three-point range.
Smith has shown consistent improvement across his stints with Miami and Brooklyn. Through 38 career games, he has averaged 4.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.6 assists on 46 percent shooting.
The Heat expect Smith to be fully recovered by opening night on October 22 or shortly thereafter. He noted that the few times he has been on the court during rehab workouts, he has felt strong and moved well.
