Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade may have leverage over the team in free agency. Wade has the "upper-hand" over Miami in their contract negotiations because soon-to-be free agent Goran Dragic likely would be less willing to stay in South Beach without Wade, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
The prevailing thought has been Miami has the leverage in the contract negotiations, but that may not be true. Jackson contends it's actually Wade who has the leverage, thanks to Dragic's impending free agency, the Heat's salary cap situation and the lack of better 2-guard replacements on the market.
"If Luol Deng opts in for $10.1 million next season, and if the Heat loses Wade and loses Goran Dragic (which becomes more of a possibility if Wade leaves), Miami would have $56 million committed to 11 players ($1.3 million more if it picks up Michael Beasley's option)," Jackson wrote Saturday.
Jackson then goes on to describe Miami's cap situation in regard to free-agency if it loses Wade and Dragic:
"That would leave less than $10 million in cap space to replace Wade and Dragic if both depart. Among a thin group of unrestricted free agent guards and swingmen, that could get maybe a Danny Green or Lou Williams (not both) or a Mo Williams and Gerald Green (with a little left). That $10 million probably wouldn't even be enough to land Portland free agent Wes Matthews."
If Deng and Dragic stay but Wade leaves:
"Miami would be capped out and have only a $5.5 million mid-level exception to replace Wade, which might get a Mike Dunleavy or Green but nobody close to Wade's level."
And if Deng, Dragic and Wade all leave:
"That leaves just $20 million to replace all three - not nearly enough with salaries at such inflated levels. (Remember, the Heat can exceed the cap to keep Wade and Dragic.)"
The point, Jackson surmises, is if the Heat let Wade go in free agency they won't find a better replacement on the market and it would hurt the quality of their roster for next season. Miami could look to trade Josh McRoberts or Chris Andersen, but neither player is likely to bring in an equal return.
Wade and Miami reportedly are $30 million apart on a three-year deal, with Wade supposedly wanting around $60 million over three years after already taking pay cuts in his last two contracts.
