Free agent big man Udonis Haslem, who has spent his entire 19-year NBA career with the Heat, will formally announce his future NBA plans at his youth camp in Miami on Sunday, reports Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (via Twitter).
As Winderman notes, the Heat have given Haslem the option to return for a 20th season — if he’s interested. If he re-signs, Miami would have 14 players with guaranteed contracts on its standard 15-man roster and would be approximately $200K below the luxury tax line of $150,267,000, tweets Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.
The 42-year-old said on Monday that his NBA future as a player was still up in the air, but evidently he’s either given himself a deadline or has arrived at a decision.
Haslem was a valuable on-court contributor in the earlier portion of his career, starting 52 of Miami’s 66 postseason games during the club’s championship runs in 2006, 2012 and 2013. In 872 regular season games, including 500 starts (24.8 MPG), he holds averages of 7.5 PPG and 6.6 RPG while shooting 48.9% from the floor and 75.6% from the line.
Over the past six seasons, Haslem has primarily served as a veteran mentor and leader, appearing in a total of just 58 games with a modest average of 7.0 MPG. Still, the Heat clearly love his ability to get through to his teammates, which is why they keep giving him an open invitation to return every year despite his limited on-court production.
Ummm lol why do we need a pre-announcement ?
File this under nobody cares. His ego is amazing!
In Miami, we care. People in other parts of the country don’t get it.
We get it, we’re just tired of hearing about hEaT cUlTuRe
The Decision II
Electric Boogaloo
The Decision 2 ESPN 2 at 6PM. 42 and no wheels left.
I’m waiting for this more than Durant saga. Where Haslem is taking his talents?
LA Fitness.
Well looks like i’ll be staring at my phone until then, in anticipation of this earth-shattering news.
Haslem tour coming soon
How come the Heat don’t just pay him to be a “Practice Squad Player” and keep the roster spot open?
What Udonis means to the community and the Heat Culture has earned Udonis the respect to go out on his own terms.
Lol. F udonis haslem
He’s way too old for that
He is a bit of a d-bag
Don’t tease us!
Pins & needles….
all the childish troll comments on this amaze me. There hasn’t been a single player with more impact on a franchise than maybe Bill Russell on the Celtics or Magic Johnson on the Lakers.. and he did it from sitting on the bench the last 5-6 years. When he came to the Heat in 2003 the Heat were a B tier team that couldn’t get over the hump with teams that were probably second best to Jordan multiple times. While Wade was doing it on the court, UD was doing it in the locker room. The man literally invented “heat culture.” Don’t believe me though.. ask literally any NBA player from the last 15 years who the most RESPECTED player in the league has been. 90% or more are going to say Udonis Haslem.
“90% or more”
You do know that 90 percent of the league barely care about it, right? If you’re trying to troll, then don’t overdo it, kid.
“There hasn’t been a single player with more impact on a franchise than maybe Bill Russell on the Celtics or Magic Johnson on the Lakers..“
Lmao this is the overstatement of the century. Setting aside the dozens and dozens of Hall of Famers who defined their teams, this man is putting Haslem ahead of even Mourning, Wade, Shaq, LeBron for the Heat.
Guarantee you that in a survey that 90%+ of NBA players would NOT say Haslem.
This Heat hagiography never ceases to amaze me. Heat simps are so blinded by the Riley propaganda and this “Heat culture” BS that hasn’t really won anything… unless “Heat Culture” is just signing big time free agents and drafting kinda poorly for a decade outside of Bam.