Miami Heat shooting guard Dion Waiters was given an 8-10 month timetable after undergoing ankle surgery to repair instability and a navicular bone fracture back in January. Though he's still in recovery, it sounds like he's nearing a return. In fact, he has been cleared for full contact, according to a report from Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel:

According to the Miami Herald, Waiters was a limited participant in Tuesday's practice, where he took part in some three-on-three work with his teammates. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra provided an update:

“Basically right now, it’s day by day evaluations,” Spoelstra told the Miami Herlad, referring to Waiters. “But he’s doing a lot more on the court, which is good. He’s getting better, making progress.”

Spoelstra also noted that he isn't sure if Waiters, who hasn't played in a game since he underwent surgery on Jan. 22, will be cleared to play before the end of the calendar year.

Dwyane Wade, a teammate that Waiters hasn't played with yet, says the progress is encouraging:

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“It’s very encouraging,” Wade said of Waiters’ participation in Tuesday’s practice. “I think today was the first day that we were on the same unit. He has so much talent. He’s one of the guys that playing against him, I’ve seen the talent that he has on both ends of the floor. Then, obviously, I watched him when he was here and he was healthy, and he played very well.

“You want him to get back healthy, understanding that he can definitely help us with his ability to score the basketball, to make plays and to defend. It’s going to take him a while to get to where he wants to get to, but he’s getting closer each day. It’s good to see him out there.”

Wade is right. Waiters, now 27 years of age, will be a fine addition to Miami's rotation when he is officially cleared for action. The former No. 4 overall pick holds career averages of 13.3 points on 41.2 percent shooting from the field (34.1 percent from beyond the arc), 2.8 assists and 2.7 rebounds.