Union again going to bat for Waiters

PHILADELPHIA The National Basketball Players Association again is going to bat for suspended Miami Heat guard Dion Waiters, appealing his ongoing suspension, just as they have his previous two, a party familiar with the appeal confirmed to the Sun Sentinel.

As was the case with the appeal for Waiters’ Oct. 23 opening-night suspension and then his 10-game suspension that ended on Nov. 29, the current appeal is not with the intention of getting the 28-year-old guard back on the court ahead of the end of the current six-game sanction that ends Dec. 23, but rather to recoup part or all of the lost wages.

Waiters, who has not played for the Heat this season, has lost $83,500 for each of the 17 games he has been suspended — $1.42 million in total. As a matter of perspective, that is equal to the season salary being earned by the Heat’s Kendrick Nunn and Duncan Robinson this season.

Whether the appeals are heard concurrently or individually, the appeal process is not expected to take place for months. The union did have the right to expedite the appeals of the two latest suspensions, but bypassed the opportunity, limited in the amount of times it can request expedited appeals for its entire membership.

A typical resolution of such matters is a settlement between the player and team that is brokered by the union.

Waiters is under contract for $12.1 million this season and $12.7 million next season, on the final two years of the four-year, $52 million free-agency contract he signed with the Heat after a breakout 2016-17 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. The loss of that bonus has not been appealed.

There is no Heat relief from the luxury tax or salary cap with the suspensions because they are team issued.

A buyout is unlikely with the additional season remaining on Waiters’ contract that could potentially be used to balance a future trade.

The suspensions have kept Waiters out of both of the Heat’s two regularseason games against his hometown Philadelphia 76ers, including Wednesday night’s game at the Wells Fargo Center.