LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh all spoke prior to making their free agency decisions back in 2010 and the Big 3 intend to do the same when the 2013-14 season comes to an end. For anyone not living under a rock, all three players can choose to opt out of their contracts at the end of the year and head elsewhere outside of Miami. Certainly every team will be after them in free agency, but has the decision already been made to stay with the Heat?
Dwyane Wade has been relatively quiet about his intentions in the offseason spoke with ESPN the Magazine briefly about the upcoming free agency opportunity. Noting that he is not thinking about the idea until the season is over, making sure to focus on a third championship run, Wade did say that he, Bosh and James are prepared to meet and discuss their options.
"I'm at a position where I don't really have to worry about it," said Wade, via ESPN.com. "I've been with the same organization for now 11 years. We've won multiple championships, so it's no reason where I need to think about that yet. I'm not at a point where we are a bad team and I need to think about the future so right now I'm really focused on just enjoying this team, enjoying our quest to try to 'Three-peat.' And when the season is over, and whatever happens, then I will sit down and I will sit down with Chris and I will sit down with Bron and I will sit down and make the best decision for myself and my family."
Bosh has already hinted that he and James plan on remaining with the Heat. When asked on ESPN's Dan Le Batard show about whether or not Bosh and James will stay in Miami, the center responded, "True." James has stayed very quiet on the entire situation. The reigning MVP rejects any free agency question thrown his way.
The question will be whether or not James, Bosh and Wade are willing to take less money once again to stay together. Wade has taken pay cuts before. He is currently owed $42 million over the next two seasons which could be the last stretch of big money he can earn in his career. Wade said he intends to consider using his option because he and the other two members of the Big 3 worked hard to get it.
"When we sat down and we signed our deals and all of us made sure we had an opt out in that fourth year, that was our option, so the option is there and you would hope that someone wants to be able to use their option as a player," Wade said. "As players, you only have so much time and you only have so many moments where you have the ability to control your own fate, so it's not a bad thing at all if that's what someone is thinking. I haven't had that conversation with Chris. I haven't had that conversation with Bron."
