Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Miami solidifies Richardson, White salaries
MIAMI — The Miami Heat have made their first of their offseason commitments, with Josh Richardson’s $1.5 million 2017-18 salary to become guaranteed Friday and the team to meet Okaro White’s $226,000 partial-guarantee Saturday deadline.
For Richardson, it is the first of two contract deadlines this offseason, with the third-year guard also eligible in August for a four-year extension.
“I mean I’m enjoying the process,” said Richardson, who is bypassing summer play for the first time since he was selected at No. 40 in the second round of the 2015 NBA draft.
“I’m just trying to keep my head down, start to work.
“I mean to know that my contract can be guaranteed and I’m up for extension, it wakes you up again, if you needed that. It’s definitely surreal.”
Richardson’s 2017-18 guarantee never was at issue, but for the first time he’s now locked into a full season’s salary before the start of an offseason.
“It’s different,” he said of taking in free agency from the sidelines. “I haven’t really had a teammate in rumors or anything like that. It’s weird kind of trying to talk it out and try to navigate it at this point. But I think all of us are kind of figuring it out.”
For White, Saturday is the first of three guarantee deadlines on his $1.4 million 2017-18 salary, followed by an Aug. 1 partial guarantee, with the full salary to become guaranteed at the season’s start.
The former Florida State forward is the lone player with NBA experience on the Heat’s summerleague roster.
“I think they look at me a little different,” he said of his summer teammates. “I know some of these guys are looking for advice and I’m trying to do my best to help these guys.”
White did not join the Heat last summer until the Heat’s second summer league, in Las Vegas. That makes this the first time he will compete in both summer leagues for the team.
“I had a good amount of time to adjust to the game, and adjust to the style of pace and adjust to the way we play as a team,” he said of being with the Heat the past six months, after starting last season with the Heat’s D-League affiliate. “I think I’m a more relaxed player. I think an older player and a more relaxed player.”
Coming together
The Heat have been confirmed as the first of at least three teams that will meet with Utah Jazz free agent forward Gordon Hayward, with that meeting to come on Saturday’s first day of free agency, followed by Hayward meetings with the Boston Celtics and Jazz. ... The Heat also have been linked to the free agency of Blake Griffin. The Los Angeles Times reported Thursday that the Phoenix Suns will meet first with the Los Angeles Clippers forward. ESPN has reported that Griffin might not be recovered from his playoff toe injury in time for the start of the 2017-18 season.