WEDNESDAY, 8:48am: Miami’s five-year offer to Dragic is expected to be for between $90MM and $100MM, Jackson reports. That would still likely be less than the max. The max won’t be known until the end of the July Moratorium, but based on an estimated starting salary of $18.96MM, the most Miami could give him over five years would be $109.02MM.
SATURDAY, 11:57pm: The Heat plan to make a five-year offer of more than $80MM to retain Goran Dragic, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com, though an amount in the vicinity of $80MM would be less than the max. The expectation in the immediate wake of Miami’s trade deadline acquisition of the former All-NBA Third Team guard was that the team would offer him the max to stay, as Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com wrote at the time, but Stein points to concerns over Dwyane Wade‘s potential free agency as one reason they’d offer somewhat less. The chances of Dragic leaving the Heat increase if Wade does, as Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reported last month.
Dragic has a $7.5MM player option for next season that he’s said he’ll turn down to instead hit free agency. Miami is the only team capable of offering Dragic a five-year deal, since it has his Bird rights. Dragic can make as much as $85MM on a four-year offer from another team while a max offer from the Heat would top $100MM, Stein estimates. The precise figures won’t be known until the league sets its maximum salaries after the July Moratorium. It nonetheless appears as though the Heat are banking on Dragic’s affection for the Heat and the city of Miami as they seek to take advantage of the ability to spread a similar amount of money over an extra year.
Wade reportedly would welcome $20MM salaries if he is to turn down his $16.125MM player option, and he’s apparently open to leaving the Heat if necessary. The Heat would prefer that Wade opt in, according to Jackson, but a less lucrative offer to Dragic would offset all or part of the extra money the Heat would spend should Wade opt out and re-sign on a deal that pays $20MM next season. That savings would be particularly important with the Heat poised not only to pay the tax next season if they retain their existing players at market value, but also incur repeat-offender tax penalties for having been a tax team three out of four years.
The Lakers, whom Dragic reportedly saw as a “perfect fit” earlier this season, loom as likely suitors, as do the Knicks, Pelicans, Kings and Bucks, as Jackson reported. The Lakers, Knicks and Bucks all have the flexibility necessary under a projected $67.1MM cap to offer a four-year max contract to the client of Bill Duffy and Rade Filipovich.
Personally, I don’t feel like Dragic is really worth the 5 year max, regardless of the fact that he is considered a “young 29.” I know that he has leverage, but I’ve said all along that I could go to 5 years in that $80 million range, and it seems like the Heat would agree. That 5th year is tough to give him considering he’ll be paid through age 34
I agree with you on that point but we all know that wade is going to stay in Miami he is not going anywhere but if he does leave maybe the mavericks can swoop in and sign him along with Aldrige
I can’t imagine the Mavs could afford Aldridge and, at his current asking price, Wade, but he would solve the shooting guard issue in Dallas if Ellis leaves, and he’s also played point guard in the past.
And that’s why wade would be your best choice if your the mavericks and signing DJ and LA would be great and all we need is a point guard and we are done in that regard. Mo Williams is the guy that the mavericks need to sign he is a pretty good player. I don’t see the mavericks being interested in Ty Lawson from the Nuggets he has some problems
The issue would be having given up two first-round picks to get him for half a season. It would hurt to see him walk in that context.
I agree. Same situation as the Cavs letting Love walk over $$$$.
However, I don’t see Wade giving the Heat another home discount if they whip out the check book for Dragic. In fact, I could see it even causing a bit of animosity from Wade’s side of things.
Good point. Wade probably doesn’t want to be paid less than a guy who’s only made one All-NBA Team and has never played in an All-Star Game.
thats why I mentioned he has leverage…
If Miami tries to low-ball Wade, meaning not giving him what he wants, I wonder if Chicago could be a possible landing spot if he sacrifices a bit. A chance to bring one home to Chitown and be the ONLY non-Jordan led team would be an incredible story, and in a sense, exactly what LBJ tried to do with the Cavs.
Of course retaining Butler is the priority but if they can add Wade first and then re-sign Butler it might work. A 3 guard rotation of Rose, Butler and Wade would be crazy, However, Wade would be protection against Rose missing a chunk of games (even though he has injury issues too) and he can help Butler ease into his role as their new star player. I think he’s more of the “main guy” now vs Rose anyway.
To be honest i think that dragic is not coming back to Miami and if he is not coming back why would wade be in Miami