Heat’s Yurtseven reportedly to undergo ankle surgery, be out three months

Miami was banking on Omer Yurtseven to step up in his second season and play some key backup center minutes behind Bam Adebayo. Instead, a preseason ankle injury has kept him out of everything so far, with reports leaking out this week he could require surgery.

He does. Yurtseven is expected to undergo ankle surgery this week that will sideline him for about three months, reports Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.

The expectation is the recovery from the impending surgery will keep Yurtseven out for up to three months. Based on that timeline, he may be able to return by March. The injury keeping him out has been labeled by the Heat as a left ankle impingement. A source classified it as a bone-spur issue in his ankle.

It’s less than ideal for Yurtseven, who is in a contract year (he will be a restricted free agent next summer).

With Yurtseven out, Erik Spoelstra has turned to Dewayne Dedmon for more backup center minutes, but it’s not working (along with much of the Heat bench). When Adebayo is on the court this season, the Heat outscore opponents by 6.1 points per 100 possessions, but when he is off the court they are -11.4.

It’s a problem. One the Heat will have to correct without Yurtseven, at least for a few more months.