Udonis Haslem wasn’t involved as the Heat and Dwyane Wade negotiated a new deal. But he was ready to step in if needed.
DAVIE — Like many across South Florida and beyond, Udonis Haslem said there was little he could do but watch and wait nervously as the Heat navigated through a series of offseason moves in recent weeks, including the high-profile negotiations that kept Dwyane Wade in Miami.
But with Wade and the Heat agreeing on a one-year, $20 million contract last Thursday, Haslem couldn’t help but grin when discussing the Heat’s future and the chance to again play alongside both his longtime friend and Goran Dragic, the guard who joined the Heat last season after a trade. Dragic is staying with the team after agreeing to a five-year, $90 million deal.
“I love Goran. I love his competitiveness. I love his fire. I love how physical he is from a point guard position and, obviously, my feelings with Dwyane are beyond the game of basketball and they run deep,” said Haslem on Tuesday between autograph sessions for young basketball players at a Heat summer camp held at Nova High this week. “So it was difficult for me standing back and watching, obviously being on both sides, understanding what both sides have to do to make something like that work. I’m happy it got done and I’ve got another opportunity to play with DWade.”
As tough as it was for him to wait to see if Wade would stay in Miami, Haslem, who along with Wade was one of the Heat’s co-captains last season, said he didn’t get involved as the Heat and Wade went through what seemed to sometimes be a contentious negotiation process.
“I had my notes locked and loaded,” Haslem laughed. “I had my pen and my pad and, if all else failed, I was going to tell D-Wade, ‘Now remember, you said we were going to finish together.’ I was going to pull that card. So if he was really thinking about [leaving], I was going to pull the sentimental you-promised-to-finish-together card, but it didn’t come to that.”
Now, with Wade, Dragic and Luol Deng back in the fold and a healthy Chris Bosh expected to return after dealing with blood clots on his lungs, Haslem said it’s time for the Heat to start looking forward and put their disappointing, injuryplagued 2014-15 season behind them.
To that end, Haslem said he’s been continuing to work on his 3-point shot after playing on the perimeter more last season. But ultimately, he remains committed to doing whatever the Heat need of him.
“Last year was what it was. We pick ourselves up, we get stronger, we get better, we get a little older with our younger guys, which is a good thing. … We get wiser,” Haslem said. “We stay healthy, and in my mind, we compete in that [Eastern Conference]. We do. I don’t care if Cleveland adds who they add, I don’t care who Atlanta adds. We compete in the East with a healthy squad.”
Haslem has been keeping tabs on the Heat’s younger players during the first weeks of summer league play and said he’s been impressed with how some of those players, notably Tyler Johnson and recent firstround pick Justise Winslow, have performed.
“I’m excited about the young guys. I’m excited about the opportunity. Since the day they stepped foot in the organization, Shabazz [Napier], Tyler, James [Ennis], even Hassan [Whiteside], even though he’s not playing summer league, since the day those guys stepped foot in that arena and been a part of this organization, they ’ve worked tirelessly and have done whatever we’ve asked them to do,” Haslem said. “I know those things don’t guarantee anything, but it gives us and it gives them the best chance to be successful. That’s all we can ask for out of those young guys. It’s going to be in their hands one day and me and Dwyane and everybody else who is going to be passing the torch to those guys are very confident they can carry that because those guys have been great.”