The future of the Heat is in serious question. After Thursday’s NBA Draft, Pat Riley knows he’ll have Justise Winslow on the floor next season, but Luol Deng, Goran Dragic and "Mr. Heat" — Dwyane Wade — could leave as free agents.
Deng and Dragic will command heavy contracts as formidable NBA players, but Riley’s focus has to be on Wade as the face of the franchise.
"We want Dwyane back. There's no doubt about that," Riley said after Thursday’s draft, via ESPN.com. "He's been here 12 years. We've had cordial discussions with him. The one thing I learned about free agency is that when a player has an opportunity to be a free agent, I think you give him the space and time to think about that."
Wade is expected to opt out of the final year of his deal in Miami and command a three-year contract worth at least $45 million. Considering the money he’s passed up for the Heat to build a championship team years ago with Chris Bosh and LeBron James, he seemingly has earned the right to ask whatever he wants from Riley and the franchise.
"Everybody in this organization over the years has had to sacrifice," Riley said. "The one player (as much as anyone) that's had to sacrifice for the sake of winning has been him. This is now getting down to business. We respect him. We want him back. We want him here for the rest of his career. And we're going to try to do everything to make that happen."
But if the Heat want to keep Deng and Dragic and pursue the likes of Anthony Davis and Kevin Durant next season, it’ll be hard to dedicate a large chunk of the salary cap to a 33-year-old guard with a history of injury problems.
Riley said he isn’t a “pessimist” about the situation and hasn’t thought about Wade actually leaving the team and city where he’s spent his entire career. But of course none of that matters until free agency starts July 1.
"We have a lot to offer here with all of our free agents — with Dwyane, with Goran, with (Deng). Whatever I think today is really irrelevant. I want all of them to come back. I'd like to make a deal with all of these players and keep the team we built last year. We'll find out on July 1. Before that, it really is all speculation. Everybody should just chill a little bit and wait until July 1."