bo shemmy3337;419627 wrote:you can not count the years because he is going to get that kind of money per year no matter where he is. He could have said F U to the Cavs and just signed with the Heat for 16 mil a year and the Cavs would have got nothing in return.
Wrong once again.
He had to take the sign and trade to get more $$$/years in order still let the Heat be able to sign one of their previous players like Haslem. So it wasn't a gift, more in terms of getting LeBron years/$$$ while creating room to fill their roster.
In a potentially significant turn of events, the Miami Heat is attempting to work out a sign-and-trade agreement with the Cleveland Cavaliers for free-agent forward LeBron James, who already has agreed to join the Heat
Should the Heat be able to pull off the maneuver, it could possibly give Heat President Pat Riley the flexibility to re-sign a remaining current Heat free agent, such, as Udonis Haslem, Dorell Wright or Quentin Richardson.
No matter the approach, James is locked into a Heat future.
Regardless of such a maneuver, the Heat plans to sign Washington Wizards free-agent swingman Mike Miller. The Heat is expected to sign the former University of Florida standout to a contract in the five-year, $30 million range.
In essence, the Heat is completing its end game.
The Heat also is finishing off a sign-and-trade agreement with the Toronto Raptors that will allow recently acquired power forward Chris Bosh to receive a six-year free-agent contract instead of the maximum five-year contract an outside free agent can receive. The Raptors, in turn, will receive a package of draft picks from the Heat and a trade exception of roughly $15 million.
With a sign-and-trade with Cleveland, James also could receive a six-year package, instead of the maximum five-year deal an outside free agent could receive. The Cavaliers also would get a $15 million trade exception.
Such an arrangement would allow Bosh, James and re-signed Heat free-agent guard Dwyane Wade to each receive similar six-year contracts starting just below the league maximum of $16.6 million for next season.
The Heat still is addressing the possibility of retaining Haslem, the free-agent power forward. However, under its current salary structure, the Heat only could offer Haslem a veteran-minimum 2010-11 contract of $1.1 million. The Heat then could make up the money to Haslem in 2011-12 and beyond.
However, if both Bosh and James are acquired by sign-and-trade agreements, then it could create more wiggle room for a Haslem return, albeit not anywhere close to his $7.1 million 2009-10 salary.
Haslem has had contact with several teams, with the Utah Jazz emerging as a suitor in the wake of losing free-agent power forward Carlos Boozer to the Chicago Bulls.
The Orlando Sentinel also reporting that Orlando Magic free-agent forward Matt Barnes said he has been in contact with the Heat. Barnes earned $1.6 million last season, opting out of the $1.6 million he otherwise would have earned this coming season.
Other names linked to the Heat are free-agent guards Jason Williams and Mike James, and Cavaliers free-agent center Zydrunas Ilgauskas.
