I've always wondered why Udonis Haslem is taking up a roster spot on the Heat when he doesn't even play. After some digging, I've figured out the reason. In July 2010, Haslem signed a five-year deal worth approximately $20 million to remain with the Heat. The contract paid him roughly $14 million less than he could have received if he accepted more lucrative offers from the Dallas Mavericks or Denver Nuggets. He was ready to sign those more lucrative offers but was convinced to stay with the Heat for less at the last minute. It turns out that he knew the Heat would make it up to him. After the end of the $20 million deal, a player like Haslem would have probably been forced to retire as no team want him at that point. Yet the Heat continued to sign him to vet min deals to basically sit on the bench and act as an unofficial assistant coach. If you add up all the deals since the $20 million deal, factor in inflation and also accounting for how much Haslem would be paid (probably a few $100k/year) if he were officially an assistant coach, it all makes sense. (And for those that are wondering why they don't just pay him as a "consultant" at, say, $5millon/year for three years as payback, that wouldn't work. It'd be way too obvious that the Heat did this to circumvent the salary cap and would be punished heavily). All this is probably an open secret but I never knew any of this until now. Just thought it interesting to share for anyone wondering the same as me.
OG Heat player. 3 X Champion. Instrumental part of the 2 championships in that 5 year contract $20m span. He always was/is their enforcer. When loyalty in business goes right. I never viewed it as an open secret or secret at all.
The issue is that if this was told to Haslem, it would be illegal. Recall the salary cap evading scandal involving Joe Smith and the Timberwolves back in 2000. Smith signed a below market deal and the Timberwolves promised to make it up to him in future deals. This was discovered and as punishment, Timberwolves lost 5 first round draft picks and the GM and coach were suspended without pay. Loyalty is fine but in this case, this is basically a Joe Smith type situation again. Of course, the Heat will deny it and would never put it in writing (unlike with Joe Smith). So Haslem would have to take the Heat's word and it looks like they kept their word.
It's the exact same thing the wolves got hammered for, but the wolves were dumb enough to leave a paper trail. Cheating is fine as long as it can't be proven, and unless someone talks there's no way to prove what miami is doing
Yea, I thought this was pretty obvious to everyone. Maybe some people were just too young at the time to know the background?
I dont know how accurate this consipracy theory is but I had heard that this was agreed upon deal when he took less money during Lebron era to help with salary cap in exchange at the time for longer term deal down the road.
The Mavs did something similar , in my opinion they were much more blatant about it. They wanted to sign Parsons to 3 Years $46M so dirk took a ridiculous discount of 3 Years $25M, once that contract was up they paid a 38 year old dirk $25M for one season. Dirk even joked about Parsons taking his money and requesting that Parsons pay for his coffee.
