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Just one season removed from the Big Three era, the new guaranteed longterm face of the Miami Heat is Goran Dragic. According to ESPN, the team and the Slovenian guard have agreed to a five-year deal worth $90 million. It’s a bit less than the $100-million-plus contract Dragic was eligible for before, but he agreed to a smaller sum so the Heat could have more flexibility to re-sign Dwyane Wade.
The contract will be completed July 9, the first day new contracts can be officially signed. After four years, he’ll have the opportunity to return to free agency.
It’s a hefty sum for sure, and it represents around half of the approximate $145 million Wade has made in salary in his entire 12 years with the team. Indeed, Wade has never once been the highest-paid player on the team. The rumored $45-million, three-year deal Wade is seeking would still put him behind both Dragic and Chris Bosh in terms of yearly average compensation.
The re-signing, however, was widely expected. Dragic joined the Heat at the trade deadline and has been averaging 16.6 points per game and also led the team in average assists per game with 5.3.
Hassan Whiteside, the Heat’s other young elite player, offered his congratulations on Twitter.
Congrats @Goran_Dragic on new deal welcome back to the family and let me borrow 5 dollars lol #HeatNation
— Hassan Whiteside (@youngwhiteside) July 1, 2015
