Report: Heat let Iguodala become FA, exercise Dragic's $19.4M option
The Miami Heat are declining forward Andre Iguodala's $15-million team option for the 2021-22 season, sources tell ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Iguodala, 37, is now set to become a free agent this offseason. He's expected to speak with the Golden State Warriors when free agency begins, The Associated Press' Tim Reynolds reports. Iguodala won three championships with the Warriors while playing for the organization between 2013-2019.
The 2015 Finals MVP averaged 4.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 0.9 steals across 63 games (five starts) this past campaign with Miami. Iguodala joined the Heat during the 2019-20 season.
Taking Iguodala's salary off the books helps Miami create salary-cap space in hopes of signing a marquee free agent. The team has been linked to impending free agent floor general Kyle Lowry in recent weeks. Lowry notably is close friends with Heat star Jimmy Butler.
Meanwhile, Miami exercised veteran guard Goran Dragic's $19.4-million team option for next season. The move was done so Dragic could potentially be included as part of a sign-and-trade agreement with the Toronto Raptors for Lowry, according to Wojnarowski.
Dragic posted 13.4 points and 4.4 assists per game across 50 appearances (11 starts) as the Heat's sixth man. The Slovenian was traded to Miami during the 2014-15 season and has been with the team ever since.