Few are expecting anything at all from Victor Oladipo next season, but he may be on track to surprise you.
Greg Sylvander of Five Reasons Sports Network reported this week on the “Five on the Floor” podcast that the Miami Heat guard is ahead of schedule in his recovery from right quad surgery.
“Sources close to Oladipo’s process throughout summer have maintained that he’s ahead of schedule and that there is an expectation surrounding him that he could be hooping by December,” said Sylvander. “That’s a completely different timeline than I had been conceptualizing as somebody following this team. I was looking at more like the All-Star break.
“So the fact that he is advancing and looking like he is ahead of schedule and should be able to play basketball,” he added. “Let’s just say Christmas. I’m throwing out an arbitrary date in December for instance. That’s so much sooner than I was counting on Oladipo.”
Oladipo, 29, was acquired by the Heat at the trade deadline last season but made just four appearances for them before hurting his knee on a dunk. The former All-Star then underwent season-ending surgery in May on his troublesome quad, which he first tore in Jan. 2019.
The Oladipo era in Miami will continue for at least another season after he signed a one-year minimum contract to return to the Heat this offseason. The team is fairly strong in the backcourt after signing Kyle Lowry to go along with Tyler Herro and the re-signed Duncan Robinson. But Oladipo could definitely give the Heat another gear to hit, and it sounds like he is getting antsy to make his return too.
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