NBA star who earned $59.2 million in his career is expected to wake up unemployed despite fully recovering from major surgery

NBA player Josh Richardson will be a free agent this summer after tough decisions in Miami.

Richardson, 30, was forced to have surgery in March, which cut his season short.

The point guard is expected to fully recover from shoulder surgery.

But the Miami Heat made the difficult decision not to renew his contract.

The 30-year-old has accumulated $59 million in career earnings since turning pro in 2015.

He was selected with the 40th overall pick by the Miami Heat in the NBA Draft nine years ago.

Richardson played four years with the Heat before switching to the league.

He had short stints with the Philadelphia 76ers, Dallas Mavericks, Boston Celtics, San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans.

The former Tennessee college star returned to Miami in July 2023.

He played 43 games for the Miami Heat in 2023-24 averaging 9.9 points per game.

He also had 2.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and shot 44 percent from the field.

But his season was cut short due to an injury that required surgery in March.

The Miami Heat announced that he underwent a “90-minute labrum procedure to repair right shoulder instability.”

They added that “Richardson will miss the remainder of the season and is expected to make a full recovery.”

But the nine-year veteran will leave South Beach this summer after becoming a free agent.

Richardson has played in 30 playoff games in his career to date.

He helped the Heat achieve a 46-36 record in the Eastern Conference and a No. 8 seed.

But the Miami Heat were comfortably defeated by the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs.

Last year, they reached the NBA Finals before being defeated by the Denver Nuggets.

Miami has won three NBA championships in its history.

They have all come since the turn of the millennium with Dwyane Wade playing.

The first in 2006 featured Shaquille O’Neal, while the 2012 and 2013 titles starred LeBron James.