Heat Rumors: Victor Oladipo to Have Knee Surgery; Typically One-Year Rehab
Victor Oladipo could miss the entire 2023-24 season as he heals from a torn patellar tendon in his left knee sustained during the Miami Heat’s Game 3 victory against the Milwaukee Bucks.
“Oladipo is set for surgery on his left knee,” Shams Charania of The Athletic writes, “and he is once again headed toward an extensive rehab period, as these injuries typically carry a one-year recovery time.”
Injuries have defined Oladipo’s second half of his career. In both January 2019 and May 2021, he underwent surgery to repair a ruptured quad tendon in his right knee. The first recuperation period lasted a calendar year, while the second lasted ten months.
“It was a great win, but when you see a player go down like that and particularly a player like Vic, who has gone through so much in the last three years—I don’t know what it is right now, so I don’t want to jump the gun on anything,” Miami head coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters after Game 3. “But that’s definitely not a good feeling to see.”
The 31-year-old Oladipo was an All-Star in both the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons and put up career numbers in the first of those campaigns, averaging 23.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.4 steals per game while shooting 47.7 percent from the field and 37.1 percent from three.
Oladipo had emerged as one of the NBA’s top two-way wings, but since his first surgery in January 2019, he has played in only 102 games across the past four seasons. He did play a major role for the Heat in last postseason’s run to the Eastern Conference Finals, however, averaging 10.6 points in 15 appearances (one start), providing a nice jolt of offense off the bench for the Heat.
He was anticipated to play a similar role in these playoffs, and he delivered, averaging 11.5 points per game in his two games as the Heat seized a 2-1 series lead against the top-seeded Bucks, despite superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo being sidelined in Games 2 and 3 due to a back ailment. The Greek Freak was injured in the second quarter of Game 1.
According to Charania, Antetokounmpo will return to the starting lineup for Game 4. That could give the Bucks a major lift as they try to recover in the series and win their second championship in three years.
Meanwhile, the Heat have been decimated by injuries throughout the series. Tyler Herro will be sidelined for at least six weeks with a fractured right hand, while Jimmy Butler exited Game 3 with a bruised glute but could have returned to the rout if needed, according to Spoelstra.
