McRoberts Doubtful For Heat Opener

The Miami Heat will begin the season on Wednesday and it is doubtful they will have the services of Josh McRoberts according to the Sun-Sentinel.

McRoberts who signed a four-year deal with the Heat missed the entire preseason following toe surgery. Initially it had appeared he could still make it back for the opening game of the season but that is now in doubt. McRoberts has been limited in practice and is officially considered day-to-day.

"He's looking better each day. We want to make sure we're smart with the process," head coach Erik Spoelstra said on Monday per the report.

It's a long season and the Heat will need McRoberts for the majority of it if they hope to succeed. The forward is expected to be in the starting lineup daily once healthy and contribute big minutes. Until he's ready to go, Miami will likely turn to Shawne Williams who has been seeing starts this preseason in place of McRoberts.

Williams signed with the Heat in August and has been in the NBA since 2006 when he was a first round pick. It hasn't been the type of career the Indiana Pacers expected on the day they took Williams 17th overall however. The 28-year old has never started more than 13 games in a season and that came last year while with the Los Angeles Lakers.

If Williams falters in the starting role, Spoelstra could turn to Udonis Haslem as a starter. The veteran brought a spark to the Heat in the postseason and has remained a dependable option. Even if Williams produces, Haslem should see a fair share of time on the court while McRoberts remains idle.

Getting McRoberts back on the court is crucial for Miami as it looks to find a weapon from behind the three-point line. With Chris Bosh set to play inside more this season, McRoberts is positioned to take over many of the plays Bosh handled in 2013-14 from deep.