Dwyane Wade does not sound like he is all that close to signing an extension that will keep him with the Miami Heat.
A report from Monday indicated that the Heat have offered Wade a two-year deal worth $40 million, but Wade is not ready to accept it. According to Ethan J. Skolnick of The Miami Herald, the two sides are “not on great terms” and D-Wade is planning to take some time in making a decision about his future.
We have already seen some mediocre players sign for huge money this offseason, and Wade is coming off another very productive year. He averaged 21.4 points per game in the playoffs and carried the Heat to within one win of the Eastern Conference Finals with Chris Bosh sitting out. Dirk Nowitzki, who is more than two years older than Wade, just agreed to a two-year, $40 million deal with the Dallas Mavericks, so you can understand why Wade believes he is worth more even at age 34.
Wade was kind to the Heat last offseason by signing a one-year, $20 million deal that gave the team the flexibility it needed to chase Kevin Durant this offseason. Now that Durant is off the market and there are no big-name free agent signings to be made, Wade wants his loyalty to be rewarded.
We are already starting to hear rumors about D-Wade joining up with you-know-who to chase another championship. Wade is the most important player in Heat franchise history, but some NBA executives believe he is actually considering leaving this time. The Heat may have to tack on another year or some more cash if they want to keep their best player around.
