4:32pm: The Heat have officially picked up their option on Chalmers, according to a press release from the team.
11:27am: The Heat will exercise their option to bring back Mario Chalmers for the 2013/14 season, team president Pat Riley confirmed today to reporters, including Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida (Twitter link). Once the club formally picks up the option, Chalmers will be in line for a guaranteed $4MM salary in the final year of his contract.
Word came in yesterday that James Jones and Rashard Lewis have exercised their respective player options, so with Chalmers on board as well, that ensures that 12 members of this year's NBA champions remain under contract for next season. Ray Allen has a player option to decide on, while Chris Andersen and Juwan Howard will be unrestricted free agents.
Riley addressed Allen's and Andersen's situations, telling reporters that the team loves the Birdman and would like to have him back next year (Twitter link). Riley also confessed he doesn't know what Allen will decide, indicating the club will have to wait until the end of the week to find out, though he hopes the veteran sharpshooter will return (Twitter link).
Speaking generally about free agency, Riley downplayed the likelihood of the Heat being too involved, or even using their mini mid-level exception, according to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel (Twitter link). The team is more likely to try to "cannibalize the market" in August and September, says Riley (Twitter link via Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald). The team president also suggested that the Heat are unlikely to amnesty Mike Miller this summer, according to Tomasson (Twitter link).