Richardson to undergo shoulder surgery, expected to miss remainder of season

Heat wing Josh Richardson is expected to be sidelined for the remainder of the season because of a shoulder injury that will require surgery.

Richardson will undergo the procedure on Wednesday morning to repair his right shoulder, which was dislocated during the second quarter of the Feb. 11 game against Boston.

He hasn’t played since.

Richardson, who returned to the Heat this past offseason, finished the season averaging 9.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 43 games and six starts.

He shot 44.4 percent from the field and 34.7 percent on three-pointers.

Richardson has a $3 million player option for next season.

He spent the first four seasons of his career with the Heat, which drafted him 40th overall in 2015.

He subsequently played for Philadelphia, Dallas, Boston, San Antonio and New Orleans before returning to the Heat this season.

Richardson, 30, accompanied the team on last week’s Western swing with the expectation that he would return soon. But surgery ultimately was deemed to be the best course.

Miami agreed to terms with guard Patty Mills on Tuesday with the knowledge that Richardson’s injury would sideline him longterm.

Miami started the season with Kyle Lowry, Richardson and Dru Smith as its point guards. Lowry was traded to Charlotte and Richardson and Smith were lost for the season with injuries.

And so the Heat will finish out the season with three point guards who weren’t on the team to start the year: Terry Rozier, Delon Wright and Mills.