As the Heat continues to try to sign the Lakers' Lamar Odom, Miami learned Sunday that restricted free agent small forward Jamario Moon has signed an offer sheet with the Cleveland Cavaliers, reducing the likelihood of the Heat retaining him.
After the offer is submitted to the NBA office Monday, the Heat would have seven days to decide whether to match. Terms were not revealed, but the offer is for at least two years, and the first-year salary cannot exceed the $3.2 million that Cleveland still has available from its $5.9 million midlevel exception.
The Heat might be reluctant to match for two reasons: 1) Unless Miami is acquiring an impact player (such as Odom), the Heat prefers not to add salary for 2010-11 because of its desire to maximize its cap space for the summer of 2010. 2) The Heat already is at next season's luxury-tax threshold and prefers not to pay the tax unless it's adding a high-quality player.
The Heat would be willing to pay the tax to sign Odom, who reportedly spent recent days considering offers to return to Miami, where he played the 2003-04 season, or re-sign with the Lakers.
Miami is offering Odom its full midlevel exception in a multiyear deal that can max out at $34 million over five years, with an ability to opt out after three years. Odom can play both forward positions but likely would be used primarily at small forward if he signs with the Heat.
The Lakers said last week that they were pulling their bid for Odom because his agent had not responded to the offer, but left open the possibility talks could be revived. A Los Angeles TV station reported that Odom called Lakers owner Jerry Buss to try to smooth over the situation.
The Lakers have offered Odom $30 million over three years or $36 million over four years, according to The Los Angeles Times.
Moon, 29, earned $712,000 last season, and the Heat had extended him a $1 million qualifying offer, but only $250,000 is guaranteed. That now becomes moot, with Moon signing an offer sheet.
Moon averaged 7.1 points and 4.5 rebounds and started 21 of 26 games for Miami after being acquired Feb. 13 from Toronto in the Jermaine O'Neal/Shawn Marion trade. Moon led the NBA in steals-to-turnover ratio last season but missed the Heat's final four playoff games after sustaining a sports hernia.
If the Heat matches the offer sheet, it would not be permitted to trade Moon until Dec. 15.
If the Heat does not match the offer, it would have three small forwards on its roster -- James Jones, Yakhouba Diawara and Dorell Wright. The Heat also intends to use power forward Michael Beasley some at small forward.
Meanwhile, the Heat has explored the possibility of trading for Utah power forward Carlos Boozer, but Odom is the priority for now.
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After the offer is submitted to the NBA office Monday, the Heat would have seven days to decide whether to match. Terms were not revealed, but the offer is for at least two years, and the first-year salary cannot exceed the $3.2 million that Cleveland still has available from its $5.9 million midlevel exception.
The Heat might be reluctant to match for two reasons: 1) Unless Miami is acquiring an impact player (such as Odom), the Heat prefers not to add salary for 2010-11 because of its desire to maximize its cap space for the summer of 2010. 2) The Heat already is at next season's luxury-tax threshold and prefers not to pay the tax unless it's adding a high-quality player.
The Heat would be willing to pay the tax to sign Odom, who reportedly spent recent days considering offers to return to Miami, where he played the 2003-04 season, or re-sign with the Lakers.
Miami is offering Odom its full midlevel exception in a multiyear deal that can max out at $34 million over five years, with an ability to opt out after three years. Odom can play both forward positions but likely would be used primarily at small forward if he signs with the Heat.
The Lakers said last week that they were pulling their bid for Odom because his agent had not responded to the offer, but left open the possibility talks could be revived. A Los Angeles TV station reported that Odom called Lakers owner Jerry Buss to try to smooth over the situation.
The Lakers have offered Odom $30 million over three years or $36 million over four years, according to The Los Angeles Times.
Moon, 29, earned $712,000 last season, and the Heat had extended him a $1 million qualifying offer, but only $250,000 is guaranteed. That now becomes moot, with Moon signing an offer sheet.
Moon averaged 7.1 points and 4.5 rebounds and started 21 of 26 games for Miami after being acquired Feb. 13 from Toronto in the Jermaine O'Neal/Shawn Marion trade. Moon led the NBA in steals-to-turnover ratio last season but missed the Heat's final four playoff games after sustaining a sports hernia.
If the Heat matches the offer sheet, it would not be permitted to trade Moon until Dec. 15.
If the Heat does not match the offer, it would have three small forwards on its roster -- James Jones, Yakhouba Diawara and Dorell Wright. The Heat also intends to use power forward Michael Beasley some at small forward.
Meanwhile, the Heat has explored the possibility of trading for Utah power forward Carlos Boozer, but Odom is the priority for now.
Source
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