AUGUST 23: The Heat have officially re-signed Haslem, the team announced today in a press release.
“From the first day that I saw him compete, to the last day when we retire his jersey at our FTX home, UD will go down in our team’s history as one of the best to ever play for the Miami HEAT,” team president Pat Riley said in a statement.
AUGUST 21: Veteran Heat power forward Udonis Haslem announced on Sunday at his Miami-based youth basketball camp that he will return for a 20th and final NBA season with the club, reports Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. Earlier this week, Haslem had indicated he would reveal his decision on his playing future at the camp.
“Got one more in me for Pop,” Haslem said, referencing his late father, as Reynolds tweets. “Got one more in me for the city. Got one more in me for the team.”
Per Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald (via Twitter), the 6’8″ big man out of Florida is set to retire from the league following the 2022/23 season. “One more year,” Haslem said.
Chiang adds (Twitter link) that Haslem’s father, who passed away last August, had long hoped his son would suit up for 20 NBA seasons.
After four productive collegiate seasons with the Gators, Haslem went undrafted in 2002. He headed overseas for his first professional basketball experience, joining French club Chalon-Sur-Saône during the 2002/03 season. Haslem joined Miami for the ’03/04 campaign, with his play netting him a spot on the 2004 All-Rookie Second Team.
Only eight players in league history have played for 20 seasons or more. Haslem will join his former Heat teammate, current Lakers All-Star forward LeBron James, as the ninth and tenth such players to reach that benchmark. Additionally, Haslem will become just the third player ever to suit up for just one team for 20 seasons, joining Kobe Bryant and Dirk Nowitzki.
Haslem has long since transitioned from being a key rotation player with Miami to taking on a far more limited role. The 42-year-old has appeared in just 58 regular season contests since the start of 2016/17, serving as more of a valuable locker room voice and practice player. Last year, Haslem played 13 times in the regular season, averaging 2.5 PPG and 1.9 RPG in 6.4 MPG. He hasn’t appeared in a playoff game since 2016.
For his career, Haslem boasts averages of 7.5 PPG, on 48.9% shooting, and 6.6 RPG. He was a crucial role player on five Miami teams that made the Finals between 2006-14, winning championships in 2006, 2012 and 2013. In his current role as essentially a player-coach, Haslem helped guide the Heat to another Finals appearance, his sixth with the team, in 2020.
By latching on with Miami for a veteran’s minimum contract, Haslem will be the 14th player signed to the team’s standard 15-man roster. Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel tweets that the addition of Haslem will put Miami just $200K beneath this season’s $150,267,000 luxury tax line.
As Bobby Marks of ESPN adds (via Twitter), the Heat will probably leave their final 15-man roster spot unfilled to avoid the tax, unless they can cut costs elsewhere. They’ll be able to sign a 15th man late in the season when the prorated minimum salary dips below $200K.
Gets paid millions for doing nothing every season. Not to mention the free game buffets and luxury flights after the game. What a joke
He is regarded as a savvy player with an exceptional work ethic and character. He has essentially been a player-coach for the past couple years. Not a bad gig for either side, as he’s simply the 15th guy on the end of the bench not blocking off playing time from anyone else, while serving as liaison and mentor.
Yeh my guess is asst coach next year and head coach when Spoelstra retires.
Hes averaged like 1 point per game in the past 6 or 7 years. I don’t see how sitting down on a couch eating potato chips while telling the other players around him not to be lazy is a great work ethic
Haslem is equivalent to David Wright was. LFG Mets
I never really liked David Wright so your “comeback” means nothing. One of the most overatted players in MLB history
You sound like a hater!!! Udonis Haslem is the heart and soul of the Miami Heat. The captain and the leader and he’s a extension of what Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra want out of the Miami Heat Culture. He’s going to only be the third player in the history of the NBA to play 20 seasons with one organization and puts his name in the same conversation as Dirk Nowitzki and Kobe Bryant. Happy Birthday Kobe Bryant!!! Then he was a huge reason why they won a NBA Championship in 2006, 2012, and 2013. He’s a great role player and have done a ton for the Miami Heat organization. When he retires after this season Pat Riley and the Miami Heat organization will retire his number 40 uniform. He’s the team All Time Rebounder. He is a great locker room presence and is the driving force for Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo to always stay ready on both ends of the floor. It’s great to see a guy that is from Florida and grew up there and went to high school there and went to the University of Florida and went undrafted and kept pursuing his dream and been with the Miami Heat his whole career. So even though he’s only played sparingly his last 7 or 8 years in the NBA he’s still had a huge impact on the team. I’ve heard in interviews how much Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo said that UD has meant to them.
Meyers Leonard would have been a much better option. Even bringing Morris back. What a waste of a spot
Leonard already ripped the team off
Dont ever put Markeiff Morris and being a better option than Udonis Haslem in the same paragraph
Or what?
True. He’s too good to be compared to Udonis “Fake tough guy” Haslem
Death, taxes, and Udonis Haslem signing a contract with the Miami Heat.
I guess no ESPN 2 special tonight? “The Decision 2”
He’s been playing like 5 games a year, he could drag that out another 10 years if he wanted lol
Just like Iggy?
I could understand it if the Heat were perennial contenders… No shade to Haslem, but the Heat need a bigger, more versatile rotation… I guess it’s fine, as he’s the end of bench guy and they are developing prospects in the minor leagues. The other 20 year guys were contributing right up until the end though, so while it’s a great achievement I hope it doesn’t turn into some kind of bizarre farewell tour…
You only get 6 redshirt years and after this year they either have to start him or he retires…
Over/Under 3 minutes of total playing time for the season.
Under.
i have him starting 1 game this season.
The home finale no doubt.
He would have played a lot more last season if he didnt get covid at the worst possible time
At least no more drama after this year….
Good. I’m tired of hearing about this douche who thinks he’s god’s gift to the NBA.
Lol
he’s a heat fan favorite. if your team had an essential part of their culture retiring you’d want him to have a farewell season. it’s called heat culture for a reason. you don’t have to like him but he doesn’t think he’s “gods gift” but he’s adored by all heat fans and just wants to end it on 20. don’t know what your problem is bro
Heat Culture hasn’t won anything unless LeBron or D-Wade was on the team. It’s a crock. You Heat simps don’t realize how much other teams and fans don’t like the guy.
That’s your problem richt
@richt i can’t stand the heat and i definitely don’t consider myself a fan. but this dude deserves a proper send off just for his fans. it’s called respect. just cuz u don’t like the guy doesn’t mean this is a terrible thing, grow up
I have no respect for Udonis Rittenhouse after he called out and dissed players in the bubble for protesting games after the Jacob Blake shooting.
Who lebron
Let’s gooo! Happy to have UD back. Not ready for this to be his last year though, but I know they’ll make sure to give him the sendoff he deserves, and early next season, his jersey will be in the rafters where it belongs
He’s only played 58 games since 2016. He’s all rested and ready to play 40 or 50 minutes this season.
Its amazing how many people are offended by an all time winner being respected and wanted
It’s not amazing or surprising in any way lol. More like par for the course
True, but I always feel like he specifically gets so much hate every single time he is ever mentioned, to an inordinate amount, and for really ridiculous reasons
I don’t see how anyone could direct 1/16th of an ounce of hate towards Haslem – I too was shocked by
A- The amount of posts when I opened this thread
and
B- The negativity
Slow day I guess
Because he was against the walkout in the bubble. Almost as if Meyers Leonard got to him.
Tons of baseball folk in this thread for some odd reason
That’s their schtick; mean, vile, uninformed and nasty
This is EVERY article over on mlbtr …. be happy we got a pretty decent community over here for the most part even if we all don’t get along every now and then
It’s one of the reasons I mostly stopped participating on mlbtr
I think that is definitely part of it, but also goes back to a lot of what I’ve been saying about social media in general, and how it leaks everywhere else now
Indeed, quality assessments all around
I will say while Hoops rumors gets about 1/10th the amount of traffic (being kind) ,there’s 10 times the amount of digestible information from the posters in here
An then there’s also the lovely backdrop that I think most posters here actually loves hoops. A far cry from MLBTR –
Sucks tho, Mlbtr had some really good posters from about 2014 to the Machado/Harper collusion days. It’s pretty void of talent these days and just a really mean place in general all around – I never joined Twitter as I hear it’s very similar (nasty)
MLBTR comment sections are awful, but I think people have good reason not to like Haslem
It’s amazing how people think he’s a good person when he called the Bucks “selfish” for protesting a game in the bubble.
He is a God gift. Stop being a hater and get a life. U sound like a complainer who ain’t got nothing to do but judge other people.
He’s never been more than a role player lmao. You sound like a Jimmy Butler burner account.
How is it that he’s still in the league?
Cool
20 seasons and a 0.1 career VORP…
Haslem’s value doesn’t show up in stats. He’s a mentor, coach and culture setter.
Greatest paying job to do nothing, besides being a politician from either side
Yet still has accomplished more in his life than you’ll ever achieve.
You know the point is weak when you can only result to personal attacks
Good for him and the Heat. Many of the commenters here are cruel, but I enjoy when a player can make it through two decades in the league. I was at the game in Brooklyn when Vince Carter joined the “four decade club” on 1/12/20. Kyrie had an amazing game as the Nets blew the Hawks out, but the crowd was on its feet at the end for Vince.
Just retire man, give it up!! Stop hogging the roster just to sit on sideline and act tough. Heat should hire a guard in case Jimmy wants to jump Spolstera.
Anyone else hear, remember from, years ago that Udonis Haslem was promised to be on the Heat roster for as long as he liked per some financial favor he did for the Miami Heat back then?
Define “one of the best”
If he is one of the best to ever play for the Miami Heat… that shows low standards no expectations, SMH!
Udonis for Westbrick. Win win for both teams lol.