Miami Heat forward Luol Deng hasn't decided whether he will opt out of his contract after the season and become a free agent. At least one report believes a split between Deng and the Heat is inevitable, given Deng will likely want the security of a long-term contract and Miami will likely want the financial flexibility of not committing future cap space to an aging veteran.
Deng can opt out of his contract after the season, but according to what the 29-year-old told Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, he hasn't thought about his future beyond this season.
"Heat forward Luol Deng said he hasn't thought about, let alone decided, whether he will exercise his $10.1 million player option for next season," Jackson wrote Wednesday. "Deng, 29, said he likes it here. Realistically, the only reason to consider opting out is if he believes he can get a multiyear deal here or elsewhere at similar money, which is questionable. The Heat might be reluctant to make a commitment beyond next season."
Deng - 14.2 points and 5.0 rebounds per game - has been effective for Miami, but it's doubtful he's the kind of player president Pat Riley would want to tie up future cap space on. Especially with point guard Goran Dragic also becoming a free agent this summer and center Hassan Whiteside becoming one the following summer, both of whom Miami will have to shell out big money to keep.
As for Deng, choosing to opt out of his $10.1 salary for next season is a gamble. On one hand, if he does decide to test the market he can gain the security of a long-term contract. On the other, if there's not a sizeable market for him then he's lost out on $10 million.
Basketball Insiders' Steve Kyler, for one, said the signs seem to suggest Deng will be on another team next season.
"There is a sense that given Deng's age and his injury history, that he's going to opt for free agency in July and try to secure a longer-term deal," Kyler wrote Thursday. "That may not be with Miami. Deng was signed right after LeBron James opted to return to Cleveland, so the fit in Miami wasn't exactly the best given the situation. ...
"There is a chance the HEAT pony up more money for Deng, but it might be more likely that Deng is somewhere else next season, mainly to secure a new long-term deal. The sense is he's going to be a free agent and trade his remaining $10.15 million for a new deal."
