The Miami Heat missed the playoffs last season and looked bad, banged up for much of the year. Part of that was Josh McRoberts hardly playing at all because of an injuries.
He began the season recovering from an injury and picked another one very quickly. Overall, instead of providing the Heat with a power forward who can stretch the floor and be another playmaker on the floor, he only played in 17 games, averaging 4.2 points in 17.4 minutes a night.
I don’t think I’m ever going to see 100 percent. I’ve played too long to be 100 percent, but I’m getting pretty close. I’ve had a great summer here rehabbing with St. Vincent and think I’ll be ready to go. I can’t wait for the season to get going. I’m just trying to rehab and get back here for the start of camp. I’m excited to get back on the court and do what I love to do.
It’s been pretty frustrating. I had toe surgery after the season in Charlotte so I was still kind of recovering from that going into last season. In December, I finally started to feel like I was on top of that and feeling better. I had a little momentum going and then I got hurt again. It was a frustrating time last season. I’m ready to put that behind me and get close to 100 percent, or as close as I can be to 100 percent.
This season? McRoberts is obviously hoping his injury woes are behind him. He plans on being a bigger part of the offense and the team, which also means more minutes, although now that Hassan Whiteside has established himself as a starter and a double double machine next to Chris Bosh, McRoberts might find it a bit more difficult to find big minutes, something he got used to during his 1.5 seasons with the Bobcats-turned-Hornets.
If everyone is healthy, the Heat should be one of the best teams in the East, not a team that fights for the 8th spot and ends up losing. Missing the playoffs did help the land Justise Winslow, and unexpected addition that can contribute right away despite being only 19. McRoberts isn’t designated for a big role as he was last season, the Heat learned from that mistake, but he can still make a big difference as long as his body doesn’t break down.