Udonis Haslem States That LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh Took Lower Salaries to Help Keep Him On The Miami Heat
Udonis Haslem States That LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh Took Lower Salaries to Help Keep Him On The Miami Heat
Udonis Haslem, who has won three championships with the only team he has played for in the NBA is nearing the end of his career with the Miami Heat. On a recent podcast, he recalls how three superstar teammates took a reduction in their salary so he was able to stay on the only team he has put a uniform on for.
Earlier this week, Haslem appeared on The Pivot podcast with the three former NFL players who co-host the program, Channing Crowder, Fred Taylor, and Ryan Clark. He tells them that when LeBron James and Chris Bosch made a concerted effort to join forces with Dwyane Wade on the Miami Heat, he just knew he would have to look for employment elsewhere to make room for Miami’s “Big 3.”
As his 20-year run with the Heat is coming to an end, he met with the guys on The Pivot and discussed what took place for him to remain on the basketball team.
Knowing that the combined salaries of James, Bosch andWade would make it impossible for him to earn what he would be making, he was ready to make his exit from the team that he had been a part of since 2003. The transaction took place in 2010. He was a free agent as well. He also witnessed the press conference introducing the new duo along with Wade and thinking to himself that his time with the team was done.
He recalls thinking, “Oh s**t, I’m out of here, because I know how the numbers worked, I know how the money worked. I know what those guys’ values was, I know they worth at the time. And I’m thinking, ‘Okay, it’s time to move on.’”
He had already made it up in his mind that he would be on another team the following season. Until his agent called him up as he was preparing to head to the stadium. He had an offer on the table for a contract worth $35 million. He was told that, although the offer originally given would be less, he was offered the chance to stay on the team for $20 million. That was able to be offered due to the Big 3 taking less than what they could have made so that way he could still stay on the team, albeit for less.
That is when he knew he had to do his part to bring the championship back home to Miami.