Haslem agrees to five-year deal, will stay with Heat

[NaboCane]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-heat-haslem&prov=ap&type=lgns

MIAMI (AP) -- With work on Shaquille O'Neal's multiyear deal to stay in Miami progressing nicely, the Heat have completed another of their top offseason tasks.

Starting power forward Udonis Haslem -- a Miami native who wanted to stay in his hometown so badly that he apparently turned down more lucrative offers from other clubs -- has agreed to a five-year contract that could be worth more than $33 million, his agent, Jason Levien said. The exact amount of the deal, which cannot be signed until at least July 22, won't be known for a few more days. Haslem will receive $5.5 million next season and then a 10.5 percent raise in each subsequent year.

 

[Muck]

He really had a nice breakthrough season last year. It's too bad he got hurt before Detroit. But it's good to have him locked up.

 

[GreenMonster]

He really had a nice breakthrough season last year. It's too bad he got hurt before Detroit. But it's good to have him locked up.

If Gadzuric is overpaid, than so is Halsem because there numbers are about equal and Gadzuric had to play C...

 

[RWhitney014]

If Gadzuric is overpaid, than so is Halsem because there numbers are about equal and Gadzuric had to play C...

So Haslem is overpaid because he averaged the same amount of rebounds as a center as a PF with Shaq at his side? That doesn't make sense.

 

[NaboCane]

Always a naysayer; some of you guys would chop the candles off an orphan's birthday cake before he could blow them out.

:shakeno:

The point is that Haslem is terrific, a local kid who now gets to make good on a dream, and help the hometown team win a championship.

Also, if Wayne Simien develops like many think he will, Haslem can platoon with him and make us a stronger team by staying fresher and avoiding injury, while giving us complementing skills in two bodies at the position.

 

[RWhitney014]

I think Haslem and Simien can make a unique and very strong duo at the PF position for Miami for years to come.

But you know what I love? Haslem kept his roots in his head and realized that without the Heat, he would not have the chance to even sniff the NBA. We were the only team that gave him a little chance. He did the rest of the work, made good, and returned the favor to the team that signed him and the fans that supported him. And for that, I have a lot of respect for the guy. I think he will become a very popular player for a long time in Miami.

 

[GreenMonster]

Always a naysayer; some of you guys would chop the candles off an orphan's birthday cake before he could blow them out.

:shakeno:

The point is that Haslem is terrific, a local kid who now gets to make good on a dream, and help the hometown team win a championship.

Also, if Wayne Simien develops like many think he will, Haslem can platoon with him and make us a stronger team by staying fresher and avoiding injury, while giving us complementing skills in two bodies at the position.

I have no problem with teams paying to keep guys, but people have been riping the Bucks for keeping our guys at a high price. Haslem is a nice low block piece to the puzzle ala Gadzuric who the Bucks got ripped for signing to a better deal...

 

[ohall]

Great news. He is such a quality person I'm glad one of the good guys gets what he wanted.

 

[Muck]

From ESPN...

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2106742

The Heat also reached a preliminary agreement with Matt Walsh, another former -- and undrafted -- Florida product who's also represented by Levien. Contract arrangements are still being worked out, but Levien told Ford Walsh will agree to a two-year contract worth in the range of $1.2 million, with the first year mostly guaranteed.

Walsh left Florida after his junior season, but never heard his name called on draft night. He was the MVP of the Southeastern Conference tournament this past March, and averaged 14.6 points and shot a team-best 42.6 percent from 3-point range for the Gators in 2004-05.

The Heat signed Walsh to their summer-league team currently playing in Long Beach, Calif. But the team opted to use its lone draft pick on power forward Wayne Simien, the Big 12's player of the year from Kansas.

 

[NaboCane]

I have no problem with teams paying to keep guys, but people have been riping the Bucks for keeping our guys at a high price. Haslem is a nice low block piece to the puzzle ala Gadzuric who the Bucks got ripped for signing to a better deal...

I certainly don't have a problem with the Bucks' spending, as long as it doesn't turn into an embarasment like the Trail Blazers' team of a couple years ago.

I think that short-sighted people look at the $200M they've cmmitted to in salaries in the past few days and are put off by the figure; that is unbelievably myopic. The money is spread out in years of contracts for positions they had to fill anyway, and the majority of that money went to retaining their own players.

Wait till the Heat's numbers are announced after they sign Shaq, Haslem and use their MLE...those same people are going to have kinniption fits.

:evil:

 

[Fresh]

Haslem could've and probably would've got a couple million more a year elsewhere. He turned down $44 million from Cleveland for about $34 million here. Sh-t, even with the taxes considered...that's not chump change. This is big for the Heat, as it does NOT cut into our MLE. The Sun-Sentinel reported that we're meeting with DJ's agent tomorrow in Los Angeles, so I'd expect him to get a 3-year/$9m deal...which also would NOT cut into the MLE. We'd still have that MLE for guys like SAR(doubtfull), Daniels, Marshall, Watson, etc.