Miami Heat emerging as the favourite destination among the free agents: NBA Update
The NBA Lockout is over and before the regular season commences on Christmas night, there is an important event that can define the course of the next season for many team. That event is the free agency.
Due to the lockout the free agency window has been slashed a bit and there aren’t many big names this off season as compared to the last one, but those who are there have certainly sorted out their priorities. Among those teams, Miami Heat stands out as the most prominent.
After the embarrassing defeat, from the hands of the Dallas Mavericks in the 2011 NBA Finals, the team is looking to make a strong comeback by tweaking their roster. Losing the finals didn’t mean that the Heat had also lost admiration and credibility. This can be judged from the fact that free agency is still far from opening and several NBA players had showed interest in representing the title contenders during the upcoming season.
Among these players Samuel Dalembert stands at the top. The Sacramento Kings player recently mentioned in an interview that he will like to join a title contender in the next season and Miami would be his first choice.
However, this wouldn’t be an easy decision for Dalembert as if he opts for Miami he will receive a severe hit on his salary. The 30 years old veteran earned $13.43 million in his last season with the Kings and if he decides to go to the South Beach, he might just get $5 million an year in his purse.
When the 6-foot-11 was asked whether he will accept such an offer from the Heat, he was still adamant;
“What is best for you might not be for the most money? I’m keeping all my options open, but Miami could be a good fit for me. If you look at the playoffs with Dallas, you saw what Tyson Chandler did. He was basically a key ingredient for them to win a championship. And Miami didn’t have somebody like that. Somebody able to stop (foes from) getting second shots and somebody able to rebound and finish. I could fill that role and be an asset for that team.”
In contrast to Dalembert, Shane Battier the Memphis grizzlies free agent, wouldn’t have to face a big deduction in his $ 7.4 million salary which he had earned in his last season and he is also intent on making his presence felt in the free agency.
Next in line is Caron Butler, the Dallas Mavericks restricted free agent. Miami’s All-Star Dwyane Wade recently rooted for Butler on twitter, however chances of Butler departing to Miami look bleak, as the Mavs will be pushed hard to re-sign their all free agents in the next season.
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