Dwyane Wade’s friend has reportedly revealed that the Miami Heat have made a three-year contract offer worth $36m, an offer well short of his expectations.
READ MORE:
Knicks considering Payne: Who should the Knicks pick in the Draft?
Bucks will match Middleton offers: Forward is seen as core piece.
Aldridge linked with Mavs: Blazers star could be moving on.
According to reports, Wade and Heat have reached a contract impasse and the veteran is expected to opt out of his deal and become a free agent next month.
The 33-year-old is due $16,125,000 next season if he exercises his player option, but he reportedly wants $20m per year while reports claim that the Heat are only willing to pay him under $10m per season.
While neither Wade’s agent nor the Heat have confirmed any of the numbers, a friend of Wade’s has revealed how the deal offered by the organisation would be structured.
“A friend of Dwyane Wade has been telling people that Miami’s preference is to give Wade $36 million over three years — $16 million this season, then $10 million and $10 million,” the Miami Herald reported.
“That’s quite a difference from Wade’s preference for $60 million over three, according to that friend. Neither the Heat nor his agent is confirming numbers. I would expect that gap to close somewhat, but the question is how much.”
Essentially, it appears as though the Heat are trying to get Wade to opt in to his final year. However, they risk angering him in the process by not offering a longer-term deal meeting his demands and that in turn could see him opt out and look elsewhere despite being fiercely loyal in the past.
With the salary cap set to rise in 2016, the three-time NBA champion could chance his luck and look to get more on the open market when the time comes, even though many still believe that something will be worked out with Miami.
However, after revealing earlier this week that he would discuss his future in July, it is becoming a very realistic possibility that the perennial All-Star could be looking at his options away from the AA Arena this summer.
COMMENTS