Report: Heat ‘Would Like Nothing More’ Than To Offload Mario Chalmers’ Contract

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A long-time veteran of the Miami Heat may not be around by the time the 2015-16 season commences.

Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel reports that the Heat want to rid themselves of Mario Chalmers’ contract. Chalmers is due $4.3 million in the final year of his deal next season. Miami is roughly $6.2 million above the league’s tax threshold and is looking to trim its payroll to minimize luxury tax penalties.

Winderman states the following in regards to Chalmers in his article:

“Based on everything I’ve heard from NBA people, the Heat would like nothing more than to offload Chalmers’ luxury-tax hit, let alone get something in return.

“Chalmers’ expiring contract figures to have value to any team needing a one-year stopgap option at point guard.

“In the end, if the Heat truly want to move Chalmers, they’ll find a way. But there also is no rush, with the luxury-tax bill not computed until season’s end.”

Considering the Heat will enter the season with Goran Dragic entrenched as the starting point guard along with Tyler Johnson as the primary backup, it leaves little reason for the franchise to keep around the seven-year veteran.

While ‘Rio has been a starter on two championship squads for the franchise, he has had a very up-and-down career during his seven years in Miami. For example, he started out the 2014-15 season strong as a backup shooting guard, but cooled down over the last few months of the season. While he did average a career-high 10.2 points per game, he also shot a career-low 29.4 percent from beyond the arc.

The Heat have already unloaded the contracts of Zoran Dragic and Shabazz Napier in trades for very little in return. It is clear the franchise is trying to trim payroll as much as possible, even if that means unloading veterans for little more than a draft pick.
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D.J. Siddiqi grew up in the heart of South Florida in Broward County. Growing up in South Florida during the late 90's and 2000's, D.J. witnessed the Pat Riley years where the Miami Heat faced off with the New York Knicks all the way to the painful late 2000's seasons where the Heat were a one-man team with Dwyane Wade. D.J. has closely followed the Heat over the past decade-and-a-half, and unfortunately witnessed Game 2 of the 2011 NBA Finals in person when the Dallas Mavericks overcame a 15-point deficit to knock off the Heat. D.J. has writing experience as a columnist with sites such as Bleacher Report and Rant Sports, and he is proud to bring his knowledge of the Heat and the NBA to Heat Nation.