Dragic, Leonard agree to return to Miami

The Heat opened free agency with commitments from Goran Dragic and Meyers Leonard to re-sign. Three free agents from last season remain.

It didn’t take long for the Heat to begin making progress on its free agency plan.

Heat president Pat Riley has made it known since this past season ended two wins short of a championship in the NBA Finals that he wants to keep the core of the roster intact.

Riley wasn’t kidding.

Just one minute after free agent negotiations were allowed to begin at 6 p.m. on Friday, the Heat accomplished one of its biggest free agent priorities when veteran guard Goran Dragic announced his intention to re-sign with the team. Minutes later, center Meyers Leonard also agreed to re-sign with the Heat.

According to a league source, the Heat is signing Dragic, 34, to a twoyear, $37.5 million deal that includes an $18 million salary this upcoming season and a $19.5 million team option for 2021-22.

Leonard’s new contract with the Heat is a two-year, nearly $20 million deal with a team option in the second season, according to a league source.

Both contracts accomplish two Heat objectives: One, bring back players from last season’s roster. Two, avoid committing guaranteed money past this upcoming season to help facilitate Miami’s plan to enter the 2021 offseason with max-level cap space for a loaded free agent class that could be headlined by two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.

While negotiations were permitted to begin Friday evening, the Heat began courting Dragic before then.

The organization took out three billboards in Dragic’s home country of Slovenia — where he spent most of the offseason — with messages of apprecia