AUGUST 6: Haslem posted a message on Instagram today confirming that he’ll return to the Heat for the 2019/20 season, and the team has issued a press release announcing that the deal is official. The veteran signed a one-year contract with Miami, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.
AUGUST 5: Big man Udonis Haslem is expected to return to the Heat for a 17th season, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports.
Haslem, 39, has indicated he’s strongly leaning toward playing another year. The likely return of Haslem was a major reason why the team waived forward Yante Maten a week ago rather than having another partial guarantee in his contract kick in. The Heat are hard-capped and needed to create enough room for a veteran’s minimum contract.
Haslem would receive a $2.6MM contract but only $1.6MM would count against Miami’s cap. The Heat would look to add another veteran if Haslem decides to retire, Jackson adds. The team currently has 11 players with guaranteed contracts and a handful of others with partially- or non-guaranteed deals.
Haslem’s veteran leadership is valued, but he hasn’t contributed much on the court in recent years. He’s only appeared in 40 games over the last three seasons, including 10 last season. Haslem made an Instagram post in June to answer critics who urged him not to return.
Another guy taking Melo’s spot lol
Harlem is super valuable as a locker room guy. He may as well be an assistant coach… probably will be next year.
*Haslem
Haslem… Melo… Haslem… Melo… Make Haslem an assistant coach, or have a useful player like Melo… hmm
I think it’s good that they use that last roster spot on an old warrior. Loyalty is important. Guys remember that kind of thing and players want to play for a team that does that.
He makes way more with the vet minimum than as an asst coach. They are rewarding him. Good on them.
Especially b/c A)he doesnt want to be a coach, and B) He left a lot of money on the table 3 different times to stay here.
Ah, I bet that’s it. He took a team-friendly deal years ago so they could get other guys, and they told him he could play as long as he wants. Makes a lot of sense. Good organization keeping its promise.
1 time, he left $40-60 million on the table. He could have gone to Denver. He left money on the table 2-3 other times as well.
But it really comes down to what I said in the other posts. He is the heart of the organization
I’m also pretty sure GS was interested in him at one point as well, and the Knicks also were involved
This is strange. Wouldn’t you want to take a flyer on a young guy with your last few spots? Why Haslem?
As mentioned above, make him an assistant coach. Find a diamond in the rough for the end of the bench see if you can develop a 21 year old. Haslem is 39.
That’s Miami’s mentality and that’s why they will always be in the hunt for free agents. They take care of their guys.
That’s whst thr GLeague is for.
I’ve got to say I really haven’t understood what the Heat have been doing with Haslem the past few seasons. Like he rarely ever plays – and when he does its not like he’s really adding much to the team. I just don’t get why they keep using a roster spot on him if they don’t intend to ever really play him. And from his perspective I don’t really see why he wants to do all the work and practice and everything just to be inactive for 90% of their games. Like if he wants to mentor and help the younger guys develop why not just retire and join the coaching staff. I mean hey great for him if he likes it and the Heat are finding value in it somehow too. I just really don’t understand how either side really benefits from bringing him back year after year to essentially do nothing on the court. And the other thing that kind of baffles me is like the Heat and Heat fans/media talk about him like he’s one of the all-time Heat greats that’s continuing to play, continuing his like “legacy” with the team or something. And I mean, like let’s be honest — he was a decent/solid starting PF/C for a few seasons and you could even make the case for him being one of the best players on some of the really bad Heat teams a decade+ ago. But he really was never a star – or even really all that close to it
Heat needed Haslem just to get Whiteside to come out of the locker room. If you dont understand the value UD has brought to this organization, you dont know what Miami Heat basketball is. Alonzo Mourning is the pillar, and he has continued that legacy as the heart of the team, as his effort has never wavered. That’s what winning players do, and he is an example for anyone that puts on a Miami Heat Jersey, or even anyone that comes to a Miami Heat game. He is from Miami, and his story is reminiscent of so many others, always striving towards something, so he is like family. He represents this city, and someday soon, his jersey will be in the rafters, next to Dwyane Wade’s, where it belongs
He’s still playing because of rules surrounding coaches, players, practices, whose allowed on the court, whose allowed to wear a uniform etc etc… he is essentially an assistant coach who is allowed to go on the court to show the young guys what he is talking about.
Plus, of the 15 guys on every teams roster, how many actually play?
True, but usually the last guy on a roster is, in theory at least, a guy with some upside.
Absolutely dead on point with UD getting full player access by being in uniform. Also not like the 15th player gets alot of court time. Still wish they would have waited till training camp with Maten. Not like UD has any real value till then.
Thinking that KZ Okpala is more the reason for Maten being let go.
Hope the Heat give Maten a camp invite at a bare minimum.
Maten would have had his salary guaranteed for too much to move him to a 2 way contract, and also, the Heat are hard capped, so they cant really add any money to their salary, being super close to the threshold. Maten cant play for the Skyforce this year and cant be signed rest of the year, so that’s not happening. I like him, but as you said, they likely are looking at Okpala at the 4, and they have a couple of guys that can play some minutes at 5, including James Johnson. It also looks like Maten will go overseas, so he may be available to return next offseason, as they do still like him. Honestly, I originally thought they’d keep him over Nunn, but then I realized the extra guard could be important depth wise, especially with the possibility that Okpala plays this year, and the potential for Winslow to return to the 4 spot
Haslem is invaluable and I’m glad he’s coming back to kinda be there in the same locker room with Jimmy Buckets at least for this season.
Anyone questioning why he is back doesnt pay much attention. Also, Haslem is in unbelievable shape. If Spo would play him more, he would help in areas of need that has cost them games the last 3 years. When he says, he isnt all that different from what he was 10 years ago. He is the measuring stick for Heat culture, and it wouldnt be the same without him. I know I’m not ready for it. I need at least this year, especially with Wade retiring a couple of years early. Also, with Butler, James Johnson, and Udonis Haslem, I dare anyone to try something with the Heat lol