Updates from Friday, July 11
Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski has the latest on Dwyane Wade's potential destinations:
Miami is pushing to complete a deal to keep Dwyane Wade now, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) July 11, 2014
With Bosh back, Miami is trying to complete shorter deals with Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem, league sources tell Yahoo.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) July 11, 2014
The Chicago Bulls are gauging interest with free agent Dwyane Wade, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.
ESPN's Mark Jones has the latest on Wade:
On Bulls reported interest in Wade.Person close to Wade told me"He has no interest in returning to Chicago and recently sold his home there"
— MarkJonesESPN (@MarkJonesESPN) July 11, 2014
Updates from Thursday, July 10
ESPN's Jeff Goodman provides a photo of Dwyane Wade accompanying LeBron James at his camp in Las Vegas:
D-Wade is now here at LeBron's Skills Academy camp -- for whatever thats worth. pic.twitter.com/PfssvqRyKD
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanESPN) July 10, 2014
Victor Oquendo of WPLG passes along brief comments from Wade:
Just spoke to Dwyane Wade, who was all smiles, he didn't say much except "Life is good."
— Victor Oquendo (@VictorOquendo) July 10, 2014
Updates from Tuesday, July 8
Jeff Zillgitt and Sam Amick of USA Today report that Miami Heat president Pat Riley is confident LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh will remain with the Heat:
This much is clear: Riley is confident James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade will return, according to people who have had phone conversations with Riley in the last week. The people spoke to USA TODAY Sports under the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the conversations.
Of course, Riley's confidence doesn't guarantee anything. But right now, he isn't scrambling.
Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports reported on Wade's conversations with James:
LeBron James & Dwyane Wade had dinner at LAVO in Vegas late last night with some friends before going to Marquee Night Club, a source said.
— Marc J. Spears (@SpearsNBAYahoo) July 8, 2014
Updates from Sunday, July 6
Michael Wallace of ESPN talked to Dwyane Wade's agent about his free agency:
Agent Henry Thomas says both Wade and Bosh still sorting through process and that "nothing's changed" in approach since July 1
— Michael Wallace (@WallaceNBA_ESPN) July 6, 2014
Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports reports on how LeBron James is impacting Wade's line of thinking:
Around Bosh/Wade, there's uneasiness about James' intent; uncertainty. No one's sure -- yet. Heat aren't done, but empire's teetering.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) July 7, 2014
Updates from Wednesday, July 2
ESPN's Chris Broussard reports on how the Big Three of Miami have interacted with each other since last week's highly publicized lunch meeting:
When the Miami Heat's "Big 3" went their separate ways after a lunch meeting last Wednesday, they went not knowing whether they had played their last game together, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.
While Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh were committed to returning to the Heat, LeBron James was unsure of what he would do, the sources said.
The only certainty coming out of the meeting concerning James was that he wanted a maximum-level salary.
James did not ask or suggest that Wade and Bosh opt out of their deals or take lesser salaries to allow the Heat to add other top players, according to the sources.
Original Text
One of the biggest storylines of the NBA offseason is whether the Miami Heat can keep their Big Three of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh together while also improving the team enough in free agency to make another championship push next season.
According to Brian Windhorst of ESPN, it appears Wade and Bosh are both ready to make sacrifices in that regard:
Heat telling free agents they will have $12+ million to spend, indicating Wade & Bosh ready to take huge pay cuts, sources told ESPN
— Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) July 1, 2014
Earlier, @johncanzanobft reported Wade was willing to start at $12M per season & Bosh $11M & this backs that up. Story coming.
— Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) July 1, 2014
Zach Lowe of Grantland is hearing slightly different figures:
I've heard flip-flopped #s for Bosh and Wade -- $12M for CB, $10M for DW -- but regardless, those are kind of #s MIA needs to get real space
— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) July 1, 2014
Ethan J. Skolnick of Bleacher Report also weighed in on the potential salaries for Wade and Bosh:
Based on my information, the numbers being reported for Bosh & Wade are much lower than what I expect (present tense) them to accept.
— Ethan J. Skolnick (@EthanJSkolnick) July 1, 2014
Chris Mannix of SI.com is a bit surprised by the entire thing:
If Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh really are willing to take deals in the $11-$12 million per year range...wow. Bigger cut than anyone expected.
— Chris Mannix (@ChrisMannixSI) July 1, 2014
However, following the report, agent Henry Thomas denied the reports (via David Aldridge of NBA.com):
Agent Henry Thomas, on report clients Bosh & Wade will take $12M/per & $11M/per, respectively: "all the BS you are reading is just that."
— David Aldridge (@daldridgetnt) July 1, 2014
Meanwhile, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports has reported that several Heat veterans are working on deals to keep the band together:
The Heat's free agents—James, Bosh, Wade and Udonis Haslem—have the framework of deals in place to remain with Miami, arming Riley with his limitations within the salary cap to sign talent, league sources told Yahoo Sports.
"Everybody has their [contract] number and has left a little bit of room to let [Riley] maneuver," one source briefed on the contract discussions told Yahoo Sports.
Another anonymous general manager in that report added, "Right now, it's clear they're buying time for Riley to go out and hit the market."
Given that James is in his prime and has consistently been the team's best player since he arrived in Miami, it isn't terribly surprising he's reportedly chasing a max deal. Nor is it surprising that Wade would be one of the players to take a pay cut, as Andy Glockner of The Cauldron tweeted:
LeBron basi
cally looked at Wade and Bosh and said "The $20M is coming from you guys. Split it up how you want." #Baller
Without question, Wade has shown some tread on the tires. While he averaged a solid 19.0 points, 4.7 assists and 4.5 rebounds in the regular season, those numbers dipped to 17.8, 3.9 and 3.9 respectively in the postseason. He also appeared in just 54 regular-season games, battling knee issues, and at 32 years of age it appears his prime is behind him.
That much was evident in a disappointing NBA Finals series against the San Antonio Spurs, especially in Games 4 and 5, when he averaged just 10.5 points per game.
Still, Wade has spent his entire career with the Heat and is beloved there. He's also still very productive when he's healthy, so keeping him in Miami was a huge priority coming into the offseason. And though they were schooled by the Spurs, the Big Three have led Miami to four straight NBA Finals and remain the class of the East.
For the moment, it looks as though Wade and company will return. And it appears that to do so, Wade will be taking a major hit in his wallet.
Jordan Retro 1
The Air Jordan 1 was released in 1985 kicking off not only the
greatest legacy in sneakers, but also the greatest legacy in basketball
history.The first round, third overall pick, Michael Jordan, was
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Jordan excelled in college basketball at North Carolina and helped lead
Team USA to a gold medal in the 1984 Olympic Games. Wearing the Air
Jordan 1, Michael Jordan soared in his rookie year. Jordan earned a spot
on the All-Star team, finished third in scoring (28.2 ppg), brought
back the Bulls back to the playoffs, and not surprisingly was Rookie of
the Year. Nike, a brand having troubles breaking into the basketball
market, saw the potential in Michael Jordan as a player as well as a
marketing icon and was immediately signed.
