The poison-pill contract that the Nets offered to Tyler Johnson will be difficult for Miami to match, writes Manny Navarro of The Miami Herald. Johnson will receive $50MM over for years, but the deal is heavily backloaded so that most of the money comes in the third and fourth seasons. The payout is $5.628MM in the first season and $5,881,260 in the second, followed by $18,858,765 in season three and $19,631,975 in season four. The Heat already have $70.3MM committed for the 2018/19 season among Chris Bosh, Hassan Whiteside and Goran Dragic. Miami will also need cap space in those years to keep Justise Winslow and Josh Richardson. Heat officials will have three days to make their decision once Johnson signs his deal with Brooklyn, but Whiteside and Richardson have already posted farewell messages on social media (Twitter links).
There’s more tonight out of Miami:
- The Bucks will meet with Dwyane Wade sometime after the Fourth of July, tweets ESPN’s Marc Stein. Wade began looking at other teams after being unhappy with Miami’s initial contract offer. Milwaukee doesn’t have room to sign Wade to the deal he wants, but it could if it finds a taker for Greg Monroe (Twitter link).
- If the Heat give approximately $20MM to Wade and don’t land Kevin Durant, they will have to fill the roster with a $2.9MM room exception and minimum contracts, writes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Most of the room exception may be needed to re-sign Udonis Haslem. Miami hasn’t pursued Gerald Green since free agency began, but he could become an option if there’s nobody better at a minimum salary. The team appears to have no interest in bringing back Dorell Wright.
- Miami may want to think twice about sacrificing Josh McRoberts for cap room, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. The Heat may have to move his nearly $5.8MM salary for 2016/17 to create enough cap space to meet Wade’s demands, but if they keep the veteran big man, he might be the starter at power forward next season if Bosh isn’t healthy.
Ira is the only person that continues to assume Bosh isnt healthy. Moving McRoberts is a necessity for multiple reasons, including for flexibility next offseason, but most importantly, to keep Wade. Is he really suggesting they let Wade walk for McRoberts?
Ya, I dont think they can match on Tyler Johnson at this point, as I assumed earlier when we saw the contract details, unless maybe they get Durant by some miracle. Congrats to Tyler Johnson. He absolutely deserves it. Definitely was a Miami Heat type player, and that new organization in Brooklyn, with Sean Marks recognizes that. Hard worker, relentless attitude, tenacious defender, incredibly tough mentality, explosive getting to the rim, and can shoot the 3. He is definitely an example for anyone that doubts whether or not they can make it. If he is gone, I’m going to miss the reactions of players that dont realize he could jump that high when he dunks lol. Really wish he hadnt got hurt last year. That team has lost a few pieces now. We never got to see it fully healthy. If he leaves, Briante Weber becomes all the more important, and it also means its time for the Heat to get back out there and find the next Tyler Johnson. Regardless, he will always be remember who gave him a chance, and will therefore always be part of Heat Nation
It’d be insane if Haslem gets more than the minimum. The guy barely plays anymore.
but when he does, he plays really well for them. I havent understood why he hasnt been used more…but when it matters, he always finds his way on the floor, and gives them big minutes. With all he has sacrificed for the Heat, I’m more than fine with him getting that deal from the Heat
….and he is in ridiculous shape
It’s probably not happening and I’m not sure it would be good for us even, but it would be fun to have dwade on the bucks.