Five Reasons Sports Network reported that The Miami Heat suspended Dion Waiters for six games. The reason why he got suspended is because Dion told his team he couldn’t show up to practice due to sickness and posted a picture of himself, on his social media on a boat, the same day.
It is Waiters’ third suspension this season. Waiters was suspended in October 2019 for the season opener for “detrimental conduct.” The 28-year-old was also suspended in November 2019 for 10 games after he suffered a panic attack on the team’s plane. He supposedly ingested a large amount of THC-infused edibles that caused him to hallucinate. The NBA forbids the use of THC, one of the primary elements in cannabis, or any use of illegal drugs.
Sources told The Five Reasons Sport Network that the incident itself was not worthy of a suspension. However it came as a result of “continued insubordination” from Dion Waiters. There had to be consequences for his actions.
Because of his multiple suspensions, Dion has lost $83,500 for each of the 17 games he has been suspended since the beginning of the season. As a matter of perspective, Waiters has not played one single game for the Miami Heat this season. In addition to the lost salary, Waiters lost out on a $1.2 million bonus he would have received for appearing in at least 70 games. Since he ranked up 17 days of suspension, it appears that he will not meet his quota at the end of the season.
The National Basketball Players Association is supposedly fighting for Dion Waiters over the latest suspension. The union would like for Waiters to be able to play at the next game, scheduled on December 23 against Utah Jazz.