Miami Heat superstar Dwyane Wade will reportedly not hesitate to leave his team this offseason, opening the possibility of a reunion with Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James.
Wade, who played four seasons with James in Miami before the four-time Most Valuable Player returned to Cleveland, still has a year left in the two-year, $33 million deal he signed last year.
However, Wade is reportedly planning to opt out of the second year of the deal to become a free agent and get a long-term and more lucrative contract from the Heat.
According to ESPN, Wade and his representatives have already informed the Heat about their contract demands, but the Heat appear unwilling to pay the 33-year-old more than what he is set to earn next season.
Wade, who averaged 21.5 points to go along with 4.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game with the Heat this season, previously took pay cuts to give Miami a chance to build a competitive roster. Last year, Wade agreed to another pay cut to give the Heat the cap room to acquire Luol Deng.
But despite Wade's decision to take less before, the Heat are not planning to offer a lucrative deal, knowing that the 12-year veteran will have a hard time getting more than $16 million from another team should he decide to opt out and test free agency this summer.
According to NBA analysts Stephen Smith, the contract situation of Wade will likely force him to leave Miami and sign with the Cavaliers to reunite with LeBron James next season.
"I've known d-wade for over a decade. I am telling you: He will leave," Smith said via Cavs Nation. "I don't know if it will be Cleveland. Cleveland is on the list and LeBron would want him in Cleveland. It's possible. But again, if you're not gonna get the money anyway, what difference does it make."
Henry Thomas, the agent of Wade, declined to reveal details about the negotiation about the deal and talk how far his client and the Heat from striking a deal. Thomas said, though, that they will continue to talk to the Heat and expressed hope Miami will value Wade's service to the team since he was drafted fifth overall in 2003.
"With the amount of time he has spent with the organization, every effort will be made to try to work something out," Thomas told Miami Herald. "The five times he played for a championship, resulting in three championships, is a significant accomplishment for any professional. We are continuing to talk about a resolution.
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