NBA Free Agents 2014: Are More Players Opting Out a Good Sign or Bad Sign for Miami Heat's Roster?
It was a pretty disappointing end for the Miami Heat this past NBA season.
The team steamrolled through the Eastern Conference for the fourth consecutive season, but lost to the San Antonio Spurs in five games in a lopsided 2014 NBA Finals. Many people believe this team needs a complete makeover and it's time to rebuild. Others believe the team is just fine. Collectively over the past two weeks, the Heat have opened up a potential $55 million. Let's take a look at some of the key players up for grabs and whether or not they will stay in Miami or look elsewhere:
LeBron James
James is obviously the best player on the team, but he did show signs of weakness in the Finals. On June 24, James opted out of his $20.5 million contract for next season, setting off a chain reaction for other Heat players to follow suit. James knows he's the best player on the squad, but he does love South Beach and he loves playing with Wade and Bosh. The only way for the team to reload with better players is for James to take a pay cut, and he did just that. But is there a chance James will test the open market and go elsewhere?
Dwyane Wade
Wade was scheduled to make $20.1 million next season, but after a disappointing NBA Finals he, too, opted out. Wade is also turning 33 years old next season, and his leg injuries are adding up. Of all the Heat players opting out, Wade is the most likely to return for multiple reasons. One, no other team is going to give him a high contract, and two, Wade wants to play his whole career with the Heat. He's kind of like the Derek Jeter of the Heat. And third, Wade knows if he doesn't take a pay cut, then James will likely leave.
Chris Bosh
Bosh recently opted out of his contract as well. He was scheduled to make over $20 million next season with the Heat. If any one of Miami's Big Three is going to test the open market, it will most likely be Bosh, who is still young and has many All-Star seasons left for a team that needs a power forward. Bosh is sometimes underused by head coach Erik Spoelstra, not getting the ball enough in his offensive scheme. Bosh is a good forward who can also hit perimeter shots.
Definitely worth the investment.
Udonis Haslem
Haslem, like Wade, has been a member of the Heat his entire career. The 34-year-old center opted out of his $4.6 million contract for next season with high hopes of returning. Haslem knows he can't demand much on the open market and if he didn't opt out for a possible re-sign, the team may have to cut him.
Chris Anderson
Don't forget about the Birdman. Anderson has been making league minimum numbers for quite some time now and, according to his agent, he's going after the big contract. It's very unlikely Heat fans will see Anderson back in a Heat jersey next season, and that could be a big problem. The Heat are a terrible rebounding team already and don't have many big men to compete in the paint. Imagine if the Heat lost Bosh and Anderson?
Carmelo Anthony has opted out of contract with the New York Knicks, but don't count on Pat Riley and the Heat front office going in a different direction. They've been able to win two NBA Championships with this roster and it's feasible to say that Miami's front office would like to keep them together. The odds of Anthony joining the Heat are very slim. The only big questions now are these: can the Heat and these players agree to a new contract, or will they leave for another team?
NBA free agency begins on Tuesday, so it looks like we'll have to wait and see.
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