The Miami Heat have fined Dion Waiters for publicly complaining for his lack of playing time this week.
Waiters has appeared in five games, all off the bench, since returning to the Heat after missing more than a year with a left ankle injury.
After the Heat’s 124-86 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, Waiters loudly voiced his displeasure at how he was being used.
“F— patience. I want to play. I’ve been patient,” he said, after playing 12 minutes in the Heat’s lopsided defeat. “I want to play. I’ve been patient long enough. What do I got to be patient for? Come on man. I’ve been patient. I think everybody knows that. It’s time. What are we waiting for? If I’m out there, play me.”
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said Thursday that Waiters was fined an undisclosed amount and that the shooting guard’s comments were “obviously not acceptable behavior,” according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Waiters, in his third season with the Heat, is averaging 15.4 minutes per game in his five games this season and has per-game averages of 7 points, 2.2 assists and 2 rebounds.
Last season the Heat fined Hassan Whiteside an undisclosed amount when he complained about his role in April.