NOVEMBER 22: The first free agent to reach a deal on Friday has now officially signed his new contract, as the Heat issued a press release confirming Dragic’s deal.
“It was essential for us to bring Goran back,” Heat president Pat Riley said in a statement. “He is part of our team, part of our culture and part of our family. He provides backcourt veteran leadership and can still play at a very high level. I’m glad to have him back in the fold.”
NOVEMBER 20: The Heat are re-signing free agent point guard Goran Dragic, he announced on social media today. The deal is a two-year agreement with a team option in the second season, Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press tweets.
Shams Charania of The Athletic adds (via Twitter) that the agreement is worth $37.4MM, while Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald reports that the deal will pay Dragic $18MM in 2020-21 and $19.5MM in 2020-21.
Dragic, 34, will enter his seventh campaign with the Heat. He was originally acquired via trade back in 2015, mostly serving as starting point guard ever since.
Dragic was a key cog in Miami’s postseason run this year, averaging 19.1 points and 4.4 assists per game. He also shot 44% from the field and 35% from behind-the-arc during those games, proving his worth as a veteran piece on the court and off.
The Heat also agreed to re-sign Meyers Leonard early in free agency. Miami strategically included team options in both players’ deals, working to preserve salary-cap space for the summer of 2021.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Shocker
Had a feeling that the deal would be for less than 20M annually.
This looks to be fair enough for the Dragon.
Not a bad move, but have to take those bubble shooting percentages w a grain of salt. Not to mention coming off injury and a year older…
LETS GOOOOOOOO! His jersey will hang in the rafters someday. One of the greatest guards in Heat history. Hoping to see him stay healthy next year. Heat need the dragon. he missed over 50 games in 2019, and losing him in the finals was tough to see for someone like him.
Yeah he was deadly in the playoffs…hope he comes back and does it again. An exciting squad with promise even after a finals appearance. Let’s go!
Thought the Mavs would try and sign him