‘No regrets’
15-year Heat veteran now without a contract
Udonis Haslem contemplates his future.
MIAMI — When the season ends in the playoffs, there rarely is time to immediately consider whether a career is ending, as well.
In such cases, there is no dramatic countdown to a decision, instead an instant end of the season for players such as Jason Terry, Nick Collison and the Miami Heat’s Udonis Haslem, all at the ends of their contracts.
That has had Haslem stepping back to take stock, no requirement necessary for a decision until July 1, the earliest that free agency can be addressed by teams.
“Won’t be that tough for me, actually,” the 37-year-old veteran said as he headed into his 15th offseason. “I’m the kind of person that once I give it everything I can give it and I have no regrets, that’s the only thing I look at every summer. That’s the only thing I look at every summer: Will I have any regrets? “For me, it’s about having no regrets.” The role this past season was reduced to 72 total minutes spread over 14 appearances, all in the regular season, with no playoff action. He scored eight total points. By comparison, Derrick Jones Jr. and Derrick Walton Jr., on two-way contracts with the Heat, played 212 and 147 minutes, respectively.
Haslem was not alone in such a mentorin-uniform role for a playoff team, with Collison appearing in 15 games for 74 total minutes for the Thunder, also now deliberating his future, at 37.
“When you get to this stage of the game,” Haslem said, “one of two things happen: you mentally can’t take it anymore or you physically can’t take it anymore. I am
blessed to be able to physically and mentally take it.
“Right now, the decision is based on my family. I really haven’t thought about it. I’m enjoying my dogs and my family and just having a good time right now.”
To Haslem, it is about taking time to see where he stands, even before the Heat take stock of where they stand.
“I’m one of those people who’s always thinking about what’s next: What’s next business-wise, season-wise? What about my body?”
Despite his mentorship in recent seasons, he has downplayed a role in coaching, but has not ruled out a different role in the organization.
“I always want to be a part of this organization, close to these guys,” he said. “It’s definitely a conversation to have. I have a lot of energy and it has to go somewhere.
“If you don’t use it, you lose it. I have to put this energy somewhere, when I do decide to make that decision.”
Lately, there has been family time, including social-media posts of workouts with his oldest son, Kedonis, who is about to head into his sophomore season as an offensive lineman at the University of Toledo. There also are two younger sons.
“I’ve got two other young ones coming through the pipeline playing baseball,” he said. “My youngest plays pretty much everything. You find yourself appreciating those moments more and more as your career starts going.
“When you are young, basketball is number one above all. Toward the middle of your career, basketball may take a little dip, get second — doesn’t mean it’s not important or not your focus.”
And then there are these moments, video recently posted on social media of his youngest son playing recreational basketball in Weston.
“When you get to this age,” he said, “basketball is like third or fourth — so many things that are just more important in life than the game of basketball.”
In the end, if this is the end, there is perspective.
“I’m always going to be a competitor,” he said. “I’m going to give everything I have to these guys and the organization. Right now, my family is the most important thing.”
That, he said, bonds himself in yet another way with Dwyane Wade, the two entering the NBA as Heat rookies in 2003, the two now deliberating their next steps.
“When it’s someone you genuinely care about, you support the decisions they make,” he said. “Our relationship goes beyond the game of basketball. Do we want to retire together? In a perfect world, it would be great to finish it together. But things don’t always work out like that.”