NBA teams
Kevin Arnovitz, ESPN Staff Writer 13y

Heat's Udonis Haslem working out

NBA, Miami Heat

MIAMI -- Miami Heat forward Udonis Haslem took part in shooting drills on the Heat's practice court Tuesday as he continues his recovery from foot surgery.

The eight-year veteran expressed an eagerness to return to full-contact practice with the Heat, but also said he appreciates the delicate nature of the recovery process.

"I want to be at 80 to 85 percent," Haslem said. "100 percent? I probably won't be 100 percent until summertime or somewhere close to next season."

Haslem tore a ligament in his left foot on Nov. 20 in Memphis after battling with Memphis Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph, then falling backward onto the court. The Heat have maintained a target date of late March to early April for Haslem's return.

As he works toward that goal, Haslem described a daily regimen that includes weight training, cardiovascular conditioning and light shooting repetition.

"My focus is on getting out there with these guys, getting a couple of practices, getting my conditioning in, getting a rhythm and fitting in with what these guys have going on," Haslem said. "I don't want to disrupt the chemistry."

Haslem has missed 54 games since tearing the ligament. Prior to the injury, he was averaging 8.0 points, 8.1 rebounds and a Player Efficiency Rating (PER) of 12.81 in 26.5 minutes per game.

"We'll continue to gradually push him forward," coach Erik Spoelstra said. "He had a 50-shot limit today. He would like to shoot 300, but we will be very judicious early on right now to make sure he's doing it at a proper rate."

Kevin Arnovitz covers the NBA for ESPN.com.

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