NBA Free Agency: Dwyane Wade stays with Miami Heat; Mike Miller joins Cleveland Cavaliers
Almost half of a month has passed since Free Agency kicked off on 1st of July and there has not been a single dull day. Each day brings with it multiple players who sign, resign or have been traded to teams and Day 15 is no different.
Here’s all the news from Day 15 in the Free Agency:
Dwyane Wade re-signs with Miami Heat
It was never a doubt that Dwyane would come back to Miami. His joining comes as a relief for Heat fans who were disappointed after LeBron James left to represent Cleveland Cavaliers.
According to sources, both parties have agreed to a two-year deal and the financial terms were not announced. Wade could have also gone for the max deal like Bosh, but his contract includes a second year player option which again gives the team financial flexibility in the summer of 2016.
Wade made the announcement via Twitter posting "Home Is Where The Heart Is... My Home,My City,My House," and followed the sentence with the phrase “HeatLifer”. He also posted a photo of him holding the three Championship trophies with the franchise.
Ther former Heat players who resigned with franchise include Mario Chalmers, Chris Andersen and Chris Bosh. The team also went ahead and retained Danny Granger and former Bobcat Josh McRoberts. So from the Big 3 it was dissolved down to a Big 2 with Bosh having signed a 5 year max deal worth $118 million. General Manager Pat Riley is upbeat that the team will have a good season.
Chicago Bulls use amnesty clause on Carlos Boozer
The amnesty clause allows a team to waive a player during the current labour deal and have 100 percent of his salary off the books and tax. The Chicago Bulls have used this amnesty clause on 6 foot 9 inches forward Carlos Boozer after he spent four seasons with the franchise.
Boozer arrived in Chicago after the team acquired him via a sign and trade with his former team the Utah Jazz in the off-season of 2010. In a total of 280 games for the Bulls, Boozer averaged 15.5 points and 9 rebounds. Boozer took to Twitter to thank the team for the four years.
Mike Miller signs two-year deal with Cleveland Cavaliers
Mike Miller will join friend and former Miami Heat teammate LeBron James in the Cleveland locker room after the former agreed to a two-year deal with the franchise worth $5.5 million including a player option for the second year worth $2.8 million.
Miller was reportedly offered a three-year deal by the Dallas Mavericks and was even shown interest by former team Memphis Grizzlies, but the opportunity to play alongside James once again seemed too lucrative for him to dismiss. In 82 games for the Grizzlies last season (the most he has played since his rookie season), Miller averaged 7.1 points and 2.5 rebounds while shooting an impressive 46% from three-point range.
Miller shoots 41% from beyond the arc for his career and gives the Cavaliers and extra outside shooting option off the bench to spread the floor for James, someone who never lost confidence in Miller despite the latter battling multiple injuries during his time with the Heat.