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Where there is a will, there is a way, and that will rests with the one man Dwyane Wade trusts like family. The treasured Miami Heat star has apparently notified the team that he plans to opt out of his $16 million option and hit the NBA free agency market. According to reports out of the Wade camp, the shooting guard wants a three-year, $60 million contract ($20 million a year). For obvious reasons, the Heat are reluctant to give Wade that much money, but one can argue that they owe him.
Back to the man with a will and a way. He, in essence, controls the fate of the Heat for the next five years or so. Other than signing Goran Dragic, that man must also convince Wade to opt in. Quite arguably the only man who can convince Wade to take $16 million next season — yes, I know it sounds ridiculous to us middle class folk — is Pat Riley.
I know that I originally said Miami would sign Wade to a three-year, $45 million contract, but I have changed my train of thought. After an intriguing discussion on the Heat’s dilemma and the oh so complex salary cap rules with one of my colleagues, we came to the following conclusion: Riley will convince Wade to opt in this season and will use the Bird Rights on him in 2016.
The Bird Rights allow a team to exceed the salary cap in order to sign its own free agents. A team can sign its own free agents to maximum contracts, but the free agent must have played three seasons with the team without being waived or changing teams. Miami used the Bird Rights to sign Wade and Chris Bosh last summer.
The reason why this is the best scenario for the Heat is because the free agent class of 2016 will be great and Riley wants to capitalize. If Wade opts out and Miami re-signs him this summer, this would tie up all cap space and make the Heat an insignificant player in 2016. So, if Wade opts in to the $16 million option, Riley can sign Dragic and still go out in 2016 and sign another big free agent.
For example: If Wade takes his option, Miami can then sign Kevin Durant in 2016 and use the Bird Rights to re-sign Wade to a lucrative contract in his favor. The rules of the salary cap are insane, but once understood, it makes deals like the “Big 3” possible. That being said, is Wade the only thing currently stopping Durant from taking his talents to South Beach in 2016?
Shane Phillips is a Miami Heat Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow Shane on Twitter @ShaneRantSports, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google. You can also email Shane at [email protected].
