Dion Waiters returns to Heat practice after suspension

NEW YORK — Dion Waiters returned to practice Saturday with the Miami Heat at AmericanAirlines Arena, his first time on the court with teammates since warming up prior to the Nov. 7 game in Phoenix.

When Waiters makes his season debut remains in question.

Back after serving a 10-game suspension for what the Heat deemed “conduct detrimental to the team,” Waiters again was at work in advance of the Heat’s three-game trip that opens Sunday against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center.

As has been the case since his initial team suspension for the Oct. 23 season-opening victory over the visiting Memphis Grizzlies, Waiters was not made available for comment, but did issue a statement that read:

“I would like to apologize to my teammates, coaches, basketball staff, the fans and the entire organization for the incident that happened on the team plane. I was wrong and take responsibility for what happened and am sorry for what it put everyone through. I am happy to be back with my teammates and am looking forward to getting back on the court playing basketball.”

Waiters was suspended by the team on Nov. 9, retroactive to a road loss a night earlier to the Los Angeles Lakers, in the wake of an incident on the team flight that media reports cited involving a marijuana-based edible.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said Waiters apologized to teammates and was remorseful.

“His conditioning is at least at a level where we can work with him and get him to the next step,” Spoelstra said. “And we just want to put this all behind us, get him with the team, and move on from here.

“Look, we’ve had enough time around each other, we understand that a lot of things happen over the course of an NBA season. What we discussed in the sanctuary of our locker room, I just want to keep between us. But we want to move on from this and get him back with the team.”