Miami has found itself a little Chris Bosh insurance.
Bosh’s status for next season remains up in the air — he wants to return, the Heat need to be convinced — so Miami was looking for a little depth at the forward spot. They found it in a deal with Derrick Williams, who spent last season with the Knicks. Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel reported there were talks, now Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical at Yahoo Sports reports the deal is done.
Free agent forward Derrick Williams has agreed to a one-year, $5M deal with Miami, league source tells @TheVertical.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 8, 2016
Williams sees how Miami culture under Erik Spoelstra has improved value of players and deal gives him chance to get back on market in '17.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 8, 2016
Williams would have made $5.1 million had he opted in with the Knicks, but he thought he could do better on the open market. Turns out he needs to prove himself again.
Williams quietly had a quality, efficient campaign for the Knicks last season — he had a career best PER of 17.2 in somewhat limited minutes. His game seemed to mature — he turned the ball over less, and he shot 42 percent on corner threes (he should not shoot them above the break).
On another note, it looks like there will be at least one “Heat lifer” sticking around.
Dwyane Wade headed to Chicago, but it looks like Udonis Haslem will be staying in Miami, according to Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel.It looks like one member of the Miami Heat will be returning for a 14th consecutive season, with a source close to the negotiations confirming Friday to the Sun Sentinel that the team is working toward an agreement with power forward Udonis Haslem.
Haslem, like guard Dwyane Wade, began his NBA career when he joined the Heat for the 2003 season. Unlike Wade, who departed the franchise this week for the Chicago Bulls as a free agent, Haslem appears to be working toward an amicable resolution, at a salary above the NBA’s minimum scale.Haslem played a limited role in just 37 games for the Heat last season, making $2.9 million. He likely will make a little more than that this year as the Heat have cap space to sign him into (not the level of money Wade wanted, but more than enough for Haslem). The Heat want him in the locker room, in part to serve as a mentor for Hassan Whiteside (who the Heat did re-sign).
