Wade, Heat in negotiations with opt out decision due at end of June
Dwyane Wade's agent Henry Thomas spoke with the Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald on Thursday about contract negotiations with the Miami Heat, saying that talks are in the early stages between the team and the 12-year veteran, who is under contract for $16.1 million next season unless he chooses to opt and become a free agent.
Last summer, the superstar opted out of the six-year, $107.5 million contract he signed in 2010 along with LeBron James and Chris Bosh to sign a two-year, $31 million deal worth significantly less in order to give the team more financial flexibility. James bolted to the Cleveland Cavaliers and Bosh weighed a significant contract offer from the Houston Rockets before eventually signing a five-year, maximum contract with the Heat.
"Several guys opted out of their contract last year," Thomas told the Sun-Sentinel. "Obviously Dwyane wasn't in a position that Chris was in, in terms of having another team offer a maximum deal. But the reality of this is he's played his entire career for Miami. He's done wonderful things in terms of the five titles that they played for, winning three of them. He's had a tremendous career, and we're just trying to see whether or not there's room to continue that."
Wade, 33, missed 20 games last season due to injuries and rest but still led the team in scoring (21.5 points). He earned $15 million for the 2014-15 season.
He was noncommittal about his plans at the conclusion of the season, but it was widely believed he would opt in and the team would lock up his backcourt partner Goran Dragic to a new contract at or near the maximum. Wade has stated multiple times in recent years of his preference to stay in Miami and close out his career with the Heat.
Team president Pat Riley would prefer to pursue other big-name free agents in the summer of 2016, when the NBA's new television deal would significantly raise the salary cap for every team, and sign Wade to a more cap-friendly deal similar to what veterans Tim Duncan and Dirk Nowitzki have done for their respective teams. Wade took less money both in 2010 and in 2014 in order to help the Heat sign reinforcements.
The 11-time All-Star and 2006 NBA Finals MVP apparently has other plans and would like a larger, multi-year deal to close out his illustrious career. He has until the end of June to decide on whether or not he will opt out of his contract ahead of the July 1 start of free agency.
"I am going to continue to have conversations with the Heat and try to make this work," Thomas told the Miami Herald. "We will continue to talk. It's relativity early in the process."
You can follow Surya Fernandez on Twitter @SuryaHeatNBA or email him at SuryaFoxSports@gmail.com.
