Miami Heat point guard Goran Dragic has a critical player option for the 2019-20 NBA season.
If Dragic chooses to, he could return to the Heat for another season and a $19.2 million price tag. If he instead elects to opt out of the contract, he’ll become an unrestricted free agent and can sign with any team he wants this offseason.
Dragic has not yet decided what he will do. However, one option that seems to be off the table is Dragic opting out so that he can re-sign a longer contract with Miami.
According to Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel, Miami will look to limit money owed beyond 2020.
They will also consider trading Dragic if he opts into his contract.
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“While Goran Dragic’s $19.2 million will create a degree of stress for the Heat against the cap and tax next season, it won’t impact the Heat’s rebuilding plan,” Winderman wrote. “But once you start adding another $10 million salary to 2020-21 or 2021-22, then you are cutting into future space. What would make more sense … is for the Heat to play it out with Goran at his current number next season, then perhaps go with far smaller annual payments on a follow-up deal, perhaps even one that could be built on exception money after cap space is utilized. … As it is, if Dragic opts in, it would immediately make him a prime, if not the prime, Heat trade chip.”
Dragic had a difficult 2018-19 season, as the former All-Star struggled with injuries.
He averaged 13.7 points and 4.8 assists per game this year, while playing in just 36 games.
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