Report: NBA Exec Says 'Strong Indications Wade is Gone'
We may still be a week away from NBA Free Agency but already the noise is engulfing the Miami Heat.
According to a CBS Sports report, rival executives are conflicted on whether Dwyane Wade and Pat Riley will be able to strike a deal to keep him in a Miami Heat uniform, with one exec telling Ken Berger "there are strong indications" Wade is leaving.
"One Western Conference executive told CBSSports.com there are strong indications Wade is gone, with Cleveland and the Lakers chief among his likely destinations. Another Western team, however, is betting on Riley to find the middle ground. "I don't see why they'd argue and fight after what they've both done for each other and for that franchise," the exec said."
As for what the Heat will do in the NBA Draft tomorrow night, the same report says Miami is open to trading the No. 10 pick for more salary cap flexibility.
The Heat, needing to preserve flexibility after re-signing Goran Dragic and potentially Dwyane Wade this summer, are open to trading the 10th pick if it means unloading salary. (Josh McRoberts, for example, is owed $17 million over the next three years.) But with a pick that high in a deep draft, it's a gamble that likely will give Pat Riley pause. "It's a tricky balance," one longtime talent evaluator said. "You have to be careful you don't regret it looking back." Johnson or Frank Kaminsky could be in the mix for Miami there, as well as Sam Dekker and perhaps Willie Cauley-Stein.
Even if Wade decides to leave the Heat they will still likely be over the cap, meaning they can only use exceptions and the minimum to sign free agents. Yet in the scenario where Wade and Dragic both stay, the Heat could be interested in shedding salary not only to increase their flexibility for the summer of 2016 but also slice into a potentially hefty luxury tax even if it means hampering the roster for next season.
It's risky because gems can be found at No. 10 overall, as recent drafts have shown. Elfrid Payton, Paul George, Brandon Jennings, Brook Lopez, and Andrew Bynum were all players selected in that spot.
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