Spoelstra’s tough call: Wade or Waiters?

MIAMI — Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra has had to make plenty of difficult lineup decisions with the team’s current group and the depth of rotation-caliber players on the roster

For the most part, they have taken care of themselves with one injury allowing the rotation to organically get narrowed down and shape itself, but now, comes what might be the toughest of those decisions — how to find minutes for both Dwyane Wade and Dion Waiters as the two shooting guards are simultaneously healthy and available.

If Waiters can provide an offensive spark, can Spoelstra continue to patiently work him back from ankle surgery last January or keep him on the bench like on Friday in the 115-109 win against the Washington Wizards?

To get Waiters in, would he sacrifice minutes for Wade during his “One Last Dance” final season, especially as Wade is now second among Eastern Conference guards in All-Star Game fan voting and the Heat began a #OneLastChance campaign to encourage fans to vote him into the exhibition?

Could Wade and Waiters, who are yet to ever play together, find minutes on the floor at the same time and the solution comes with moving someone else from their current role?

Spoelstra likes having options and views it as a positive to have these tough choices ahead of him.

“These are good things. Where we’re trying to go, we need talent. We need our guys available,” Spoelstra said following the Heat’s Saturday afternoon practice. “In this position, I have to make tough decisions. That comes with this .job. We’ll be patient with [Waiters] and that process. We have months left in the season, and that’s how I’m approaching it.”

Wade’s return to the Heat last February was especially beneficial because it came only about a month after Waiters underwent surgery with the team in need of a shooting guard who could score.

Since, the formula has been simple. Waiters was still recovering, so Wade, whenever available, was a natural to come right in, usually as the first reserve off the Heat bench. On Wednesday, Waiters made his season debut in Cleveland and return from what was more than a year-long absence. There was still no conflict as Wade was out with stomach illness.

Friday presented the first game where Wade and Waiters were both available as teammates. Wade turned out to be first off the bench again while Waiters did not play.

Everyone except guard Goran Dragic (knee) is healthy for the Heat and practiced on Saturday. The Heat play the Hawks in Atlanta on Sunday.

Scheduling conflict: With a 6 p.m. tip in Atlanta, and Wade’s hometown NFL team, the Chicago Bears, playing their NFC wild-card game starting at 4:40, he won’t be able to catch much of it as they take on the Philadelphia Eagles.

“Schedule gods not with me,” Wade said Saturday. “I don’t know what I’m going to do. I just hope they win. Obviously, I would love to be in front of the TV, eating some Chick-fil-A watching the game in Atlanta, but we play at that time. I’m just going to check the scores when I get an opportunity to, pray that we’re able to move on.”

Ironically, Wade’s Bears are playing Waiters’ Philadelphia Eagles with Waiters a (very) proud Philadelphia native.

“We ain’t really talk that much about it,” Wade said. “I’m sure it’s going to be brought up within, from now until the game. We’ll have a little Philly Cheese conversation. I might say something on the plane now.”

Heavy heart for Olynyk: Heat center Kelly Olynyk played Friday’ s game against Washington with a heavy heart, mourning the loss of his best friend’s father, Sam Dower.

Hours before the game, Olynyk posted a photo on Instagram that was just all black. He captioned it only with an emoji of hands pressed together in prayer.

“You still got to do your job. You still got to go out and play,” Olynyk said. “It’s a tough time for people that play a big part in your life. It’s tough, but you got to go out and play. I’m glad we got the win.”

Playing with a message written on his sneakers, Olynyk finished Friday with three points and a rebound, making one of his two 3-point attempts.

Heat at Hawks

When/Where: 6 p.m., State Farm Arena, Atlanta

TV: Fox Sports Sun;

Radio: 790-AM, 106.3-FM, 710-AM (Spanish), 1140-AM (Spanish), 760-AM (Spanish)

Scouting report: This is the third game of the four-game season series. … The Hawks won the first two meetings. … The Hawks defeated the Heat, 123-118, Nov. 3 in Atlanta, when they scored 41 first-quarter points and held off the Heat, despite 32 points from Josh Richardson. … The Hawks then won, 115-113, Nov. 27 at AmericanAirlines Arena, despite 22 points from Richardson. … The season series concludes March 4 at AmericanAirlines Arena. … The Hawks have won seven of the past eight meetings, but the Heat have won at least once in Atlanta in each of the previous three seasons. … The game will be followed by a three-game homestand for the Heat. … The game comes after a three-game trip for the Hawks and will be followed by another threegame trip. … Goran

Dragic (knee) is out for the Heat, with Duncan Robinson and Yante Maten on G League assignment. … For the Hawks, Kent Bazemore (ankle), Miles Plumlee (knee) and Taurean Prince (ankle) are out, with Omari Spellman, Jaylen Adams and Alex Poythress on G League assignment.