Dion Waiters: 'I'm better than a lot of these guys in the motherf---ing league'

Miami Heat guard Dion Waiters has played in just 30 games since inking a four-year, $52-million deal in 2017 and hasn't appeared in a contest since last December. Somehow, the ultra-confident bucket-getter has maintained his swagger on the sideline as he prepares for his inevitable return.

"I know I'm better than a lot of these guys in the motherf---ing league," said Waiters, according to Sports Illustrated's Rohan Nadkarni. "I only gave y'all a taste. I know I can do more."

The taste he was referencing was a hot streak for the Heat during the 2016-17 season when he averaged 18.4 points and 4.8 assists over a 25-game stretch. Miami won 21 of those contests before Waiters suffered a season-ending ankle injury that has plagued him ever since.

He eventually underwent surgery after attempting to play through the pain early last season.

"I wanted to fight through it," Waiters said. "I've never been injured like this before, I've never had big-time injuries. But playing through it made it a lot worse. I want this to be the last time."

The Heat announced Wednesday that Waiters has been upgraded to day-to-day and cleared for full-contact practice.

Waiters' addition to the rotation will give Miami another primary ball-handler to fill the void left by starting point guard Goran Dragic, who's reportedly out for the next two months.