Miami Heat president of basketball ops Pat Riley says the team wants Dwyane Wade back in uniform next season.
The team can offer Wade the $5.3 million mid-level exception or the $2.4 million veteran minimum, but Riley insists it’s not about the money.
Pat Riley says Udonis Haslem will be back, says the taxing situation with Dwyane Wade is the next priority. https://t.co/zqW7yTafAf … Plus, Riley offers updates on Winslow, Weber, Stokes, others.
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) August 23, 2018
Riley adds that he has a “real good feeling” Udonis Haslem will be back in the fold in 2018-19.
Per the Sun-Sentinel:
“I have a real good feeling that UD is going to be back,” Riley said at the ceremonial groundbreaking of the Miami Heat Sports Medicine Center at Miami Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Institute. “There’s not been any announcement on that. It’s just a gut feeling about UD and what he wants to do.”
As for Wade, Riley said last month that he expected the situation to be resolved in mid-August, a timeline that has been extended.
“Well, I couldn’t get resolved in mid-August because I was on the Amalfi Coast with Micky, having pizza and meatballs. I was on vacation,” Riley said of his annual Mediterranean getaway with Heat owner Micky Arison. “We’ve been in constant communication with Leon Rose, his attorney. Now that I’m back, in town, and we’re really ramping up for training camp, I know Dwyane’s in California right now with the marketing team, getting ready for the season, so I’ll have a conversation with him somewhere shortly.
“I texted him after he got his long-term deal with [Chinese apparel company] Li Ning. We want him back. He and Udonis, we want ’em back, but we’re giving ’em space. We know our young guys and we need to anchor our young team with a veteran presence of the both of them.”
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