Report: Dwyane Wade 'open' to leaving Miami if new Heat deal isn't reached
Dwyane Wade opted out last year, to give the Heat some room to pursue upgrades to the roster in part to lure LeBron James back. That didn't happen, and Wade re-signed for two years, $31 million, giving the Heat some cap room but also giving him an option for next year. With the fact that Wade is assumed to be with the Heat for the rest of his basketball life, and the fact that 2016 figures to be a massive windfall payday for Wade, it was assumed there would be no drama with Wade this summer.
Hold your horses, this is getting complicated. The Miami Herald reports that not only is Wade considering opting out, but he's "open" to joining other teams if the Heat don't pony up a longer-term, big money deal for him.
Though Wade prefers to stay with the Heat, where he has spent his entire 12-year career, he is now open to leaving this summer if the Heat does not raise its offer, according to two sources with direct knowledge. Wade must decide by late June whether to opt out of a contract that would pay him $16.1 million next season.
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But according to associates, Wade wants to opt out this summer, with the hope that the Heat would give him a lucrative three-year deal that would extend past his 36th birthday.
That does not appear to be the Heat's preference. The Heat apparently would be content with Wade opting in for next season, then re-signing for good, but not huge, money for another two seasons after that.
Regardless of whether Wade opts out or not, there is believed to be a sizable gap between what Wade would like over the next three seasons and what the Heat would prefer to pay him.
Even if this is mostly designed to put pressure on Miami to come through with what Wade wants, it does set up extremely interesting scenarios, and it has to do with a hard reality for Miami: They can't afford to let Wade go.
Wade opting out and departing would be a disaster in terms of PR because of Wade's popularity; throughout LeBron James' run, Wade remained the most popular player on the team, he is Miami Heat basketball. It would also be a huge problem for their hopes of contention. Goran Dragic will be an unrestricted free agent this summer and his return is far from certain with offers from other teams available despite his appreciation for the Heat. If Wade left, Dragic would be quick to follow, and then you're looking at a old, injured mess for Miami with only Chris Bosh coming off blood clots to build around.
So yeah, their leverage here is pretty limited. But what about Wade's?
Wade was phenomenal last season, despite missing 20 games. He averaged 22 points, four rebounds, and five assists per game on 47 percent shooting from the field with a 21.4 PER. However, he will turn 34 next season and hasn't played more than 70 games since 2011. Would the market value be as high for Wade elsewhere as it is in Miami? It would give him an opportunity to chase one more title, while being able to pitch his departure as being on the Heat's side of the equation, i.e. "They made the decision not to bring me back."
The most likely scenario is Wade's return, it's nearly unfathomable to imagine him in another uniform. The report does give the indication that it's possible, however, and it adds a little more intrigue to what figures to be a quiet NBA offseason.
One more note, and I swear I'm not just trying to stir up havoc here. As I said, the most likely situation is an amicable resolution between Wade and the Heat...
But if the two sides couldn't come to an agreement... and if Kevin Love opted to leave the Cavaliers in free agency... and with Mike Miller, James Jones, and LeBron James in Cleveland... could...
Nah. Let's not even say it. Some things are too crazy to even speculate on.
Right?
Published by: CBS Sports
May 28th, 2015
Source: www.facebook.com/CBSSports
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