Faced with a midnight Tuesday deadline to decide on his contract, it is being reported that Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade has officially decided to opt out and become a free agent.
Dwyane Wade will not pick up his player option for next year & instead become a free agent, source tells ESPN
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) June 29, 2015
Rumors have persisted that Wade would forgo the second year of the two-year, $31.1 million contract he signed with Miami last summer. In addition to testing the open market later this week, Wade is said to be looking for a lofty raise from the Heat. According to some reports out there, Wade is seeking a deal that will pay him $60 million over three seasons, which is much more than the two-year, $20 million extension that was reported to be Miami’s initial offer to Wade.
At 33 and limited in terms of how many minutes he can provide on a given night, it would seem that Wade is valuing himself too high on the market. Though, it must be noted that Wade did average 21.8 points in just over 32 minutes per game last season. He can still put the ball in the bucket—something that a vast majority of teams need.
Both the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly interested in the guard. Though, Cleveland wouldn’t be able to offer Wade anywhere near what he’s likely going to demand on the open market. The Lakers interest in Wade appears to be mutual.
While it’s hard to imagine Wade departing South Beach after spending his first 12 NBA seasons with the Heat, it’s no longer a foregone conclusion that he will end his career with his original team.
This promises to get interesting before all is said and done.
Photo: USA Today Sports