July 7, 7:32pm: The Heat have officially re-signed Waiters, the team announced over Twitter.
Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel notes that the Waiters deal had to be announced prior to the Johnson confirmation, at which point a potential Wayne Ellington guarantee could follow.
July 6, 7:01pm: The Heat and Waiters are in agreement on the previously reported four-year, $52MM deal, per several reports. According to Scotto, the deal won’t include any options.
Scotto also reports that the Lakers made a one-year, $17MM offer to Waiters. L.A. has been reluctant to commit any second-year guaranteed money to free agents.
4:48pm: Waiters’ new deal is expected to be a four-year contract, according to Wojnarowski (via Twitter). Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link) pegs the total value at $52MM over four years.
4:31pm: The Heat are finalizing a contract agreement with Dion Waiters that will bring the free agent guard back to Miami, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). Wojnarowski had indicated earlier today that Waiters was considering the Heat, Lakers, and Knicks, and would likely make a decision soon.
[RELATED: 2017 NBA Free Agent Tracker]
Waiters, a former fourth overall pick, didn’t generate much interest in free agency last summer after the Thunder withdrew his qualifying offer, and ultimately signed a modest deal with the Heat. Although he was limited to 46 games (43 starts), the 25-year-old had a nice bounce-back season in Miami, averaging 15.8 PPG, 4.3 APG, and 3.3 RPG with a shooting line of .424/.395/.646.
Armed with a player option for 2017/18, Waiters turned down that option in search of a more lucrative deal on the open market, and was linked to the Lakers, Knicks, Bulls, and Kings. After Miami missed out on top free agent target Gordon Hayward, however, it made sense for Waiters and the Heat to work out a new agreement that allowed him to return to South Beach.
Terms of Waiters’ deal aren’t yet known, but the Heat figure to use a chunk of cap room to re-sign him, since their Non-Bird rights would only allow for a 20% raise. The club would also like to bring back James Johnson and has interest in Rudy Gay, among other free agents, so we’ll see how much cap space is left over after Waiters’ deal.
Waiters had ranked 21st overall on our list of 2017’s top free agents last week.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
GET SOME
Good job failing to sign a free agent on a one year deal to play the shooting guard position Magic! Shouldn’t have traded D-Lo. And no Clarkson is our sixth man. He is not starter quality.
Agree bout Clarkson. Magic pelinka what
Next! I’m hoping we don’t finish in the
Bottom 5 next year! Pick goes to boston
Well it doesn’t make sense to sign a guy to a long term deal that might tie up cap space. And unless the Lakers are offering a boatload of money for one year (ala JJ Redick contract), most free agents would probably rather take a multi-year deal for the security. Shooting guards are relatively easy to come by, depending on the skillset and size the Lakers want. In theory, the Lakers could start Ingram/Deng at the wing positions with Deng going to the bench when Clarkson comes into the game. Tony Allen and Monta Ellis immediately come to mind as available shooting guards though. Not inspiring options, but you’re not going to get an inspiring option on a 1 year deal. The Lakers could also get away with starting an undersized guard at the 2 since Lonzo has the length to match up against bigger guards if necessary.
I know they are keeping cap space JT19. But Deng is only a power forward at this point of his career. Deng can’t play the 3 any more. He’s declining and best suited for the 4 were we already have nance Randle and Kuzma. I would try my best right now to swing a deal for Marcus smart.
Ainge is not going to help the Lakers !
Well Laker fans guess we’re stuck
W/the leftovers again!
The Lakers don’t have much to offer Boston outside of picks or their young players. They’re not going to want Deng unless the Lakers are willing to throw them some future unprotected (or low protection) firsts/young players in addition (and that’s besides the subsequent need to clear additional cap). Clarkson doesn’t move the needle for the Celtics (and would probably be a downgrade) and they don’t have the cap space to accomodate Brook Lopez. So leaving some obvious guys off the table (Ball and Ingram) you’re really left with Randle or Nance/Zubac plus some sort of draft pick. And I doubt Boston finds much interest in any of the Lakers’ late first round/second round prospects considering all of the prospects coming their way in the upcoming drafts.
Why are you blaming Magic, aarongill? Are you suggesting Magic should have offered Waiters more than the $17MM that he reportedly did, or do you actually think the Lakers should have tied up valuable 2017/2018 offseason cap space with a multi-year Waiters deal?
Pat Riley too broken! Wow…I was thinking $15-17 million, hoping we could convince him to take $14 million, thought he wanted closer to $17 million, and we got him for $13 million, even lower than my idea for the lowest offer. Amazing.
Is the 4th year an option year, or a straight 4 year deal?
Was originally hoping for JJ at $12 million, thinking he could get more, but now, if they can get him between $9-12 million, that would be awesome. That coud leave the Heat with enough to keep Reed/figure out that backup 5 spot, and bring in a veteran 4
*sigh* before the Olynyk deal
If the Lakers are willing to offer Waiters 1/17, then why not acquire Jamal Crawford and his $14MM salary for 2017/2018?
Ties up future cap space for next summer (he has two years left on his deal). Plus, if he were to get bought out, the Lakers were his preferred landing spot (if I remember correctly).
You are correct about Crawfird’s preference and the fact that he is in a two-year deal. However, I believe only $3MM of his 2018/2019 counts toward the salary cap, and a trade fit him now keeps the Lajers from risking Crawford becoming an UFA via buyout.
I suppose my initial question boils down to whether that second-year $3MM hit with a release of Crawford next summer is worth risking in exchange for his veteran influence, smooth shot, and seemingly strong commitment to being a backup and mentor to Lonzo Ball. Worthwhile risk, in my opinion.
He’s too old
Well deserved for Dion Waiters
Well deserved? He failed in Cleveland, he failed in OKC and played 40 something good games for the Heat. He is lucky to have a deal like this one. The guy has had a span of 40 something good games in a 5 year career. LMAO!!
Good for Dion.
He’s finally proven he’s worth as much as Miles Plumlee.
#PlumleeMoney