The question with Dwyane Wade apparently has become whether his negotiations with the Miami Heat will lead him to the Big Chill, and whether we could be witnessing a Tenth Avenue Freeze Out.
According to multiple reports and confirmations to the Sun Sentinel, Wade met or will meet Wednesday in New York with the Denver Nuggets, Milwaukee Bucks and Heat. An anticipated meeting with the Chicago Bulls never came to fruition, leaving in question whether such interest was at a high level.
Of that group, the Nuggets are the only team currently with enough salary-cap space to offer the two-year, $50 million-plus contract Wade apparently has been seeking if a three-year, $60 million deal is not available.
According to Yahoo, Wade's final meeting will come with Heat owner Micky Arison, who posted on Instagram that he is in New York.
Denver's Channel 7 reported that Nuggets owner Josh Kroenke, general manager Tim Connelly and coach Michael Malone were to meet in New York with Wade, who has returned from a vacation in Spain and is scheduled on Thursday's to co-host LIVE with Kelly, the syndicated morning show with host Kelly Ripa. Former Heat forward Mike Miller, who now is with Denver, also was part of the Nuggets' pitch.
A party close to the negotiations has informed the Sun Sentinel that Wade has been sitting on a two-year, $40 million offer from the Heat that would include a player option for 2017-18, allowing him to return to free agency next season.
While Wade, 34, also had been linked to reported interest from the Cleveland Cavaliers, the field of outside suitors apparently has been reduced to the Nuggets, Bulls and Bucks. The Bulls and Bucks both would have to rework their salary caps to accommodate Wade, with Chicago looking at trades of Taj Gibson and Mike Dunleavy Jr., and the Bucks with a sell-off of Greg Monroe.
According to BasketballInsiders.com, Bulls guards Jimmy Butler and Rajon Rondo have been pushing Wade for a commitment to Chicago, while Bucks guard Khris Middleton and coach Jason Kidd are lobbying Wade to sign with Milwaukee. No Heat players have indicated their own recruiting efforts to retain Wade with the Heat.
Yahoo reported that Wade's meeting with the Nuggets lasted 2 { hours, followed by a session with the Bucks.
The Heat currently are unable to offer Wade more than $20 million for the coming season, but could free needed salary-cap space with a trade of power forward Josh McRoberts.
While the Nuggets could meet Wade's demands, it is unlikely they would offer the same playoff opportunity as the Heat, especially in light of the heightened competition in the Western Conference.
The Nuggets are coming off a 33-49 season, their third consecutive losing season, while working with their fourth coach in as many seasons. The Nuggets have not advanced out of the first round of the playoffs since 2009. The Heat are coming off a 48-34 season, advancing to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
The Nuggets currently have a crowded but youthful backcourt, which includes 2016 first-round draft choices Jamal Murray and Malik Beasley. The Nuggets also feature point guard Emmanuel Mudiay, the team's lottery pick in 2015, as well as veteran guards and swingmen Gary Harris. Will Barton, Wilson Chandler and Jameer Nelson.
Like the Nuggets, the Bulls and Bucks also failed to make the playoffs this past season.
Thursday is the first day free agents can formally sign contracts, at the end of the NBA's personnel moratorium. The Heat are then expected to formalize their four-year, $98 million agreement reached with center Hassan Whiteside at last Friday's start of free agency.
Wade has never been the highest-paid player on the Heat during his 13 seasons, with Eddie Jones the first on an annual list that also has included Shaquille O'Neal, Shawn Marion, Jermaine O'Neal, Bosh and LeBron James.
A $20 million salary next season would put Wade third on the Heat's payroll and the two-year offer would put him fourth in terms of committed total salary going forward.
Forward Chris Bosh, who remains hopeful of returning from the blood clots that have sidelined him over the second half of each of the past two seasons, is due $23.7 million next season, with $76 million due over the next three seasons. Whiteside's contract will pay $22 million next season. Beyond that, guard Goran Dragic will earn $15.9 million next season, still due $70 million over the next four seasons.
Whiteside had indicated a willingness to reduce his overall compensation had the Heat been able to sign free-agent forward Kevin Durant, who instead agreed to terms Monday with the Golden State Warriors. There has been no public discussion of a willingness by Whiteside to do the same for Wade.
