The Miami Heat and Dwyane Wade have had issues about a new contract moving forward, as the team may not want to pay big money for the guard to help save up for a player like Kevin Durant in 2016 and that could force Wade to opt out and leave and if that happens, teams like the Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks could be interested in signing him.
Miami and Wade likely will figure out an agreement moving forward, but as things stand, the two sides have not been able to agree about compensation. According to the Miami Herald, Miami is "hesitant" to offer Wade an expensive multi-year contract, as it would "limit the financial flexibility" of the team moving forward. Dan Le Batard wrote a lengthy article about the situation and he reports that Wade could consider leaving the team by opting out of his contract this summer.
Wade likely will end up staying in Miami, but according to Chris Mannix at SI.com, there is "mutual interest" between Wade and the Lakers if he considers leaving. Mannix writes that La has "money to burn" and that if Wade actually considered leaving Miami, Los Angeles could be a main option for him. Wade is going to get chased if he hits the market and this contract issue could be the thing that splits him from the Heat.
Wade has taken less money at different points in his career to help the Miami Heat and Le Batard writes that Wade did that with the idea that he would be taken care of as things moved on. Wade took less money and gave up his alpha dog status when LeBron James was signed and he also took less money to help the Heat keep Udonis Haslem. Wade has been a fan favorite since his debut with the team, but he is clearly not the same player he once was and that is what Miami is likely concerned about.
Wade averaged 21 points last season with 3.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists while playing in 62 games, but he will be 34 years old by the end of next season. ESPN.com reports that Wade is looking for a three year deal in the range of $50 million and that is what is giving the team pause, as they are hoping to sign a major free agent like Kevin Durant in 2016. The team will also have to sign Hassan Whiteside and they have Goran Dragic hitting the market this summer.
According to Ethan Skolnick of Bleacher Report, Wade has a player option for next season at $16.1 million and the team is hoping that moving forward he would take "below market" money on his deals. The report says that Wade could look at the Los Angeles Lakers as an option, while Michael Wilbon dropped the Chicago Bulls as a potential landing spot if he leaves Miami.
The Knicks also could make a play, as they could miss out on some of the bigger named free agents after how bad they played last season. Carmelo Anthony has previously praised Wade in the past and they could make for a strong duo. Wade is looking like he wants a Kobe Bryant style contract, but Miami does not have the cap space that the Lakers do, especially with the players they still need to sign moving forward.
