Report: Heat, Waiters agree to 1-year, $2.9M contract
The Miami Heat and unrestricted free-agent shooting guard Dion Waiters have agreed to terms on a one-year, $2.9-million contract, according to Tim Reynolds and Jon Krawczynski of The Associated Press.
The money amounts to the Heat's mid-level exception for next season, and a one-year deal can be seen as a low-risk, high-reward possibility for a team that lost its franchise player in Dwyane Wade and still has question marks surrounding the ability of Chris Bosh to play again.
However, Waiters cost himself an additional $3.9 million by not accepting the Oklahoma City Thunder's qualifying offer prior to it being withdrawn on July 18.
Dion Waiters could have accepted his $6.8M qualifying offer with the Thunder at any point until it was withdrawn on 7/18.
— Albert Nahmad (@AlbertRandom1) July 25, 2016
Waiters would plug into the backcourt alongside Goran Dragic, effectively replacing Wade along with Josh Richardson and Tyler Johnson. While the Syracuse alum has been maligned throughout his four-year career for inefficiency and a chucker's mentality, the 6-foot-4 Waiters has periodically demonstrated an ability to hit outside shots.
He averaged 9.8 points and two assists on 35.8 percent 3-point shooting in just under 28 minutes a game for the Thunder last season.