An update on Heat’s injury situation, as Haywood Highsmith enters NBA concussion protocol
The Miami Heat’s injury issues continue.
As a result of a late-game collision with Utah Jazz guard Collin Sexton in Saturday’s loss, Heat forward Haywood Highsmith has entered the NBA’s concussion protocol. Highsmith left the team Monday to return to Miami and will likely miss the rest of the Heat’s West Coast trip that ends Friday with a matchup against the Suns in Phoenix.
Highsmith, 27, was initially listed on Sunday as doubtful for Monday night’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Crypto.com Arena because of what was listed by the team as a jaw contusion and the hope was that he avoided a concussion. But the Heat ruled out Highsmith for the contest on Monday after placing him in concussion protocol.
Monday marks the 12th game that Highsmith has missed this season. He sat out four games with a sprained left knee, six games with a lower back contusion and one game because of a non-COVID illness before now missing time while in concussion protocol.
According to the NBA’s concussion policy, “A player diagnosed with a concussion should be regularly monitored for 24 hours for the evolution of symptoms. The player may not begin the return-to-participation exertion process until 24 hours after the time of injury. Initiation of the return-to-participation exertion process is determined by a team physician. ... The return to participation process involves several steps of increasing exertion – from a stationary bike, to jogging, to agility work, to non-contact team drills.”
The league also notes “that there is no timeframe to complete the process. Each injury and player is different and recovery time can vary in each case.”
The following are the NBA’s return to participation requirements for those in concussion protocol: “i. He is without concussion-related symptoms at rest; ii. He has been evaluated by a physician with training and experience in the management of concussion; iii. He has successfully completed the NBA return-to-participation exertion process; and iv. A team physician has discussed the return-to-participation process and decision with the Director of the NBA Concussion Program.”
Highsmith has played in each of the 21 games he has been available for this season, starting 15 of them.
In addition to missing Highsmith for Monday’s matchup against the Clippers, the Heat will also be without Jimmy Butler (right foot irritation), Caleb Martin (right ankle sprain), Josh Richardson (left back facet syndrome) and Dru Smith (right knee surgery).
But Kyle Lowry, who missed the previous two games with a head contusion, is available to play against the Clippers.
That long injury report full of rotation players led the Heat to call on Orlando Robinson and Cole Swider to re-join the team in Los Angeles following a brief G League stint. Robinson and Swider will be available for the Heat against the Clippers.
The Heat already entered Monday with the fourth-most missed games in the NBA this season due to injury at 104 games, according to Spotrac’s injury tracker. That number, unfortunately for the Heat, continues to grow at a fast rate.
This story was originally published January 1, 2024 at 6:32 PM.
