<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">As a restricted free agent, Haslem will be allowed to field offers from any team, with the understanding that the Heat can match any offer. However, assuming the rules in next season's new collective bargaining agreement remain the same in this area, the Heat could only re-sign Haslem for as much as the mid-level exception. That means another team with the proper salary-cap space could offer Haslem more than Miami is able to match, putting him in a situation similar to those of Carlos Boozer and Okur last offseason. While the decisions for those players seemed relatively simple, Haslem would have more to consider come free agency. As a Miami native, he is entrenched in the local scene and surrounded by a large group of family and friends. He's friends with local celebrities, such as rappers Trick Daddy and Trina, and with former University of Miami athletes Edgerrin James and Willis McGahee. So staying put sounds awfully enticing for the former Miami High standout. ''Everybody that's from Miami sticks together,'' Haslem said. ``I mean, it's like a fraternity. But that doesn't mean Haslem is a lock to remain in Miami. With the Heat, Haslem plays a specific role and plays it well. His top priorities are rebounding and defending, with opportunistic scoring coming as a bonus. But Haslem is confident he can put up Boozer-like numbers if given the opportunity. And another team might just give him that chance to show off his skills. ''I'm very confident in my game offensively,'' Haslem said. ``If coach puts the ball in my hands to put up a couple more points in the post, then I feel like I can do that.''</div> <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Haslem has no burning desire to be a featured offensive player, however. He won't bolt Miami just to prove he can score 18 points a game. So come free agency, that won't do much to sway Haslem. ''To be honest, the most enticing thing to me is being a winner,'' Haslem said. ``No knock on a guy like Charles Barkley. He was a great player in the post, offense, rebounding, he did everything you could possibly do. I don't think he got a ring. But you have a guy like A.C. Green or Robert Horry who played a specific role for their teams and played that role well, those guys got rings. ``In the long run, people know winners when they see them, and you get paid for being a winner.'' If Haslem's team wins and he ends the season with numbers similar to his current averages of 11.4 points and 8.3 rebounds, he will likely be among next season's group of mid-level millionaires. It sounds appealing, even if he can't quite put his arms around it. ''I don't even have a clue how much $5 million is,'' said Haslem, who will have made a total of $1 million through his first two seasons. ``I've never seen $100,000. I've never had $30,000 in my hand. I've never been able to buy my mom a house. ``I don't know what it feels like to do things like that for your family. That's something that's kind of new. It's hard to kind of grasp having that kind of money.''</div><div align="center">Good read, check it out If you need a preregistered account to read, go here</div> Haslem made 300K as a rookie last season and is making 620K as a starting PF this season. what do you think? Will Haslem remain a Heat? Will other teams even offer him a starting job like the Heat? Will he pull a Benedict Boozer on the Heat?
Man I hope he remains. This guy's got a big heart and wants to win. The question is how much can the Heat give him???
Well, Haslem will stay if the Heat pull from their MLE, which is approx. $5 million. I really doubt they'll even attempt to re-sign him for the minimum, because he'll definitely say no. However, Pat Riley also needs to think about FA's for the next season...and weigh out the options, because the Heat are going to be over cap...so all they can use is their MLE and LLE...along with their minimums...to sign FA's. Who else is in their last year on their contract this season? I don't follow up on the Heat, so I'm not sure.
I think Dooling, Laettner, Malik Allen, Person and Haslem EJ has option next season......I pray deeply that he opts out lol
I think it's gonna be hard for the Heat to keep him. The past offseason, guys were getting big money for the same stats Haslem has put up. Also the Heat has to re-sign Shaq for 30+ million per year.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting bdubb:</div><div class="quote_post">I think it's gonna be hard for the Heat to keep him. The past offseason, guys were getting big money for the same stats Haslem has put up. Also the Heat has to re-sign Shaq for 30+ million per year.</div> Shaq has another year and will get exactly $30,466,072. If I was trying to understand why some lakers fans hate him, that salary must be the reason. If he only got 20 mil, we have anothe 10 mil to sign someone with....
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting WadeDynasty:</div><div class="quote_post">Shaq has another year and will get exactly $30,466,072. If I was trying to understand why some lakers fans hate him, that salary must be the reason. If he only got 20 mil, we have anothe 10 mil to sign someone with....</div> Yeah its hard to make your team better or to keep your quality players when you have a huge contract taking up most of the salary cap. When it comes time to resign Shaq, I don't think he'll be willing to take less. Buss offered him 28.8 million and he turned it down. But that was the Lakers, Maybe it will be a different story with the Heat.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting bdubb:</div><div class="quote_post">Yeah its hard to make your team better or to keep your quality players when you have a huge contract taking up most of the salary cap. When it comes time to resign Shaq, I don't think he'll be willing to take less. Buss offered him 28.8 million and he turned it down. But that was the Lakers, Maybe it will be a different story with the Heat.</div> No way...if Shaq didn't take less money in Los Angeles, he won't take it in Miami or any other city for that matter. Not right now, anyways. If anything, he'd sign an extension for the $28 million, but that's not very cheap, either. <div class="quote_poster">Quoting WadeDynasty:</div><div class="quote_post">I think Dooling, Laettner, Malik Allen, Person and Haslem EJ has option next season......I pray deeply that he opts out lol</div> Yeah, but I don't think Jones will opt out. He knows that he's performing under his expectations...and if he opts out, he'll have trouble pulling $14 million out of any team's pocket. It's best for the Heat to do what they can to trade him before he goes into "I'm-not-worth-a-dime" mode, almost like they did with Brian Grant. Wade will eventually get his...and he'll be making a nice chunk of cash...and with Shaq's $30 million, it may send Miami over cap for a while...but that's later down the road. The Heat will probably let Allen go...but I see them trying to re-sign Dooling. Haslem is a must-have, too...
Udonis Haslem is almost a lock to stay if the Heat can offer him decent money. Most people would be honored to play for their towns team and would rather play in their home town than across the country. Haslem seems like a person who would do that. Other teams will offer him money too. Alot probably more than the Heat, but I still thikn he will stay. If a team like the bobcats get Udonis of course they'll start him but if a team such as the Spurs sign him I doubt he'd start. I also think Jerome Beasly is a free agent too, correct me if im mistaken.
No one opts out from that kind of money, it's like hoping Jamal Mashburn or Alvin Williams will opt out, not going to happen, players aren't stupid, if EJ was an FA the most he'd get is the MLE, he won't make 14 million for the rest of his career lol
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting og15:</div><div class="quote_post">No one opts out from that kind of money, it's like hoping Jamal Mashburn or Alvin Williams will opt out, not going to happen, players aren't stupid, if EJ was an FA the most he'd get is the MLE, he won't make 14 million for the rest of his career lol</div> Yeah i know for sure that EJ won't opt out. I was just wishing that he would so we have the extra dough to sign someone better.
We Should Hook Up Eddie Jones with Anthony Carter's Agent!!! Maybe he'll screw up again and make EJ opt out of his contract The Heat will resign Haslem. Even if he has to come off the bench in future years. This guy is a baller & Riley knows it. Of course, with guys like Adonal Foyle and Mehmet Okur getting RIDICULOUS $$$$$ you never know what other teams are gonna offer.
Haslem will undoubtedly re-sign with the Heat. We are the only team that was willing to give him a chance, he was signed as an undrafted rookie, if we did not sign him he would be playing in the ABA, Europe, the D-League, or somewhere else. He is very grateful to the Heat for giving him his big break and to prove himself at the NBA level and hopefully he remembers this when it comes time to negotiate a new contract.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Accord:</div><div class="quote_post">Haslem will undoubtedly re-sign with the Heat. We are the only team that was willing to give him a chance, he was signed as an undrafted rookie, if we did not sign him he would be playing in the ABA, Europe, the D-League, or somewhere else. He is very grateful to the Heat for giving him his big break and to prove himself at the NBA level and hopefully he remembers this when it comes time to negotiate a new contract.</div> That's a pipedream now a days, players are no longer loyal to franchises, because franchises are no longer loyal to the players. The attitude for a player in Haslem's situation is to take what you can get now. There will be plenty of teams willing to throw money at a player like Haslem. Not only to add him to their roster, but to weaken the Heat's team. He's saying all the right words now, but when someone offers him $6M or $7M a year, it's going to be hard to turn it down. WADEDYNASTY - As for the comment about Shaq's salary, not only was he making close to $30M with the Lakers, he wanted a RAISE when his current contract is up. So far we have not heard the issue brought up, but Shaq is not going to back down on his demands when negotiations come up.
If we win a championship then it's all gravy. Only two people deserve the the money they make, that's Michael Jordan and Shaquille O'Neal. Because they win. And also it was would be Haslem's loss because he's in a winning team and in a starting position with his family and friends in his home state. No other team would start him. Miami gives him everything he wants. If he wants to get a huge contract then he loses a lot more.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Miami's Finest:</div><div class="quote_post">If we win a championship then it's all gravy. Only two people deserve the the money they make, that's Michael Jordan and Shaquille O'Neal. Because they win.</div> I'd throw Tim Duncan into the group as well. In the NBA though, it's not about what a player deserves, it's about what someone is willing to pay them.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post">I'd throw Tim Duncan into the group as well. In the NBA though, it's not about what a player deserves, it's about what someone is willing to pay them.</div> Well Shaq has led his teams to more Finals appearances than any other player currently in the NBA. If you want his services, and that's to win, it's gonna cost you. If you wanted MJ's services, and that's to win, it was gonna cost you. You don't want to win, fine, someone else will. BTW I agree with Tim Duncan, except his teams require a better supporting cast than Shaq teams do. That's why they Lakers were up to their necks on cap space but always managed to win. He was also able to recruit players because people would take pay cuts to play along side him.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Miami's Finest:</div><div class="quote_post">Well Shaq has led his teams to more Finals appearances than any other player currently in the NBA. If you want his services, and that's to win, it's gonna cost you. If you wanted MJ's services, and that's to win, it was gonna cost you. You don't want to win, fine, someone else will. BTW I agree with Tim Duncan, except his teams require a better supporting cast than Shaq teams do. That's why they Lakers were up to their necks on cap space but always managed to win. He was also able to recruit players because people would take pay cuts to play along side him.</div> What team was Shaq on that didn't require a good supporting cast? The Magic? Hardaway was a top shooting guard in the league when Shaq and him went into the Finals. When Shaq got there again, in 1999...Kobe was one of the best SG's also. Now Shaq is on the Heat...and Wade isn't a scrub. But...one of the best centers ever, Hakeem Olajuwon, was worth every dime he was paid, and possibly more...until he was traded to the Raptors.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Miami's Finest:</div><div class="quote_post">Well Shaq has led his teams to more Finals appearances than any other player currently in the NBA. If you want his services, and that's to win, it's gonna cost you. If you wanted MJ's services, and that's to win, it was gonna cost you. You don't want to win, fine, someone else will. BTW I agree with Tim Duncan, except his teams require a better supporting cast than Shaq teams do. That's why they Lakers were up to their necks on cap space but always managed to win. He was also able to recruit players because people would take pay cuts to play along side him.</div> I think Duncan has just been fortunate to be surrounded by quality role players. The Spurs did a great job drafting players like Gino & Parker, and bringing in a player like Bowen. He's not in the class of Jordan and Shaq, but he is one of the few players you can justify paying the max for. I agree Shaq at one time was worth the type of money he's making, but he's no longer the dominant player he was 3 or 4 seasons ago. Injuries and age have slowed him down and he no longer demands double and triple teams. He also hasn't played a full season since his rookie year, the last three seasons he's played in 67 games. The only time Shaq recruited players to come to the Lakers was last season with Malone and Payton, and they didn't win a title.
Damn 30 mil would last me lifetime. Why does he need so much money for???????????? NOw the last player who was loyal to the team was Tim Hardaway when he signed with the HEAT but agreed to salary cut so they could sign another player. That's why Tim , to me, remains the best PG in HEAT history so far.
