With the free agency period set to start at the stroke of midnight, Dwyane Wade has notified Miami Heat management that he will be opting out his contract. This in turn means Wade will become a free agent and have the ability to sign with another team should he choose to do so. The thought of Wade playing for any team other than the Heat has Miami fans losing their minds, but at the end of all this, Wade will be playing in black and red once again next season, and here is why.

Wade is looking for a long-term deal somewhere in the ballpark of $18-20 million a year over a three-year period. This type of contract will severely hinder the Heat organization’s ability to sign a marquee free agent in 2016, and this is a major reason why Wade hasn’t gotten this type of contract. Preferably, the Heat would like to offer Wade a two-year contract with a second year option at $12-15 million a year. This is how the impasse between both parties arose. Wade wants long-terms security, while the Heat want short-term flexibility.

The teams that were rumored to have an interest in Wade are already setting their sights on other key free agents this summer, which is a big indicator that Wade might not have the type of market available in free agency. The Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks (two teams that pushed to the forefront of the Wade-leaving rumors) won’t have the cap space to sign Wade at a near max deal, plus bring on another top free agent. That really just leaves teams like the Milwaukee Bucks, Detroit Pistons and Toronto Raptors available to sign Wade to the type of contract he is looking for. There is no way Wade plays for any of these teams, especially because none of them are at the point of being considered true title contenders.

With Wade back in tow, the Heat could be easily make their way out of the Eastern Conference, even against a LeBron-led Cleveland Cavaliers team. This, along with a reasonable contract, should be enough for Wade to come back to Miami for a few more years.

Jared Doyle is a Miami Heat writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @outofboundsjay, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google