The NBA free agent season could be extraordinary this summer. . . or not so much. Miami Heat’s Big 3 — LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh — could opt out of their contracts and field suitors, which would create much drama, reminiscent of four years ago when James and Bosh left their respective teams to join Miami. Of course, they also could remain with the Heat.
The three met before they made their free agent decision in 2010 and could have another such meeting before their June 30 opt-out deadlines, which allows them to leave in 2014, 2015 or 2016.
Wade said: “As players, you only have so much time and you only have so many moments where you have the ability to control your own fate, so it’s not a bad thing at all if that’s what someone is thinking. I haven’t had that conversation with Chris. I haven’t had that conversation with Bron.”
Wade revealed in an ESPN The Magazine story that the three, who have gone to three straight finals and won the last two, plan to have that conversation at some point.
“When we sat down and we signed our deals and all of us made sure we had an opt out in that fourth year, that was our option,” Wade said. “So the option is there and you would hope that someone wants to be able to use their option as a player.”
Wade took a pay cut and took less than a max deal to help the Heat add some depth to their roster in 2010, and it’s possible the Heat could approach him about doing so again this summer.
Wade is due $42 million over the next two years, which would be the most lucrative contract years of his career. But the Heat could try to convince Wade and the others — in the name of more titles — to take another discount.
“I’m at a position where I don’t really have to worry about it,” said Wade, who also won a title for the Heat in 2006. “I’ve been with the same organization for now 11 years. We’ve won multiple championships, so it’s no reason where I need to think about that yet. I’m not at a point where we are a bad team and I need to think about the future, so right now I’m really focused on just enjoying this team, enjoying our quest to try to ‘Three-peat.’ And when the season is over, and whatever happens, then I will sit down and I will sit down with Chris and I will sit down with Bron and I will sit down and make the best decision for myself and my family.”
