Popper: Heat need to pay Dwyane Wade

Miami Heat shooting guard and former Marquette standout Dwyane Wade has a meeting scheduled with Bucks officials next week, according to an National Basketball Association source for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. According to multiple reports, Wade has received a couple of offers from other teams and there is a possibility that he will go to the Chicago Bulls this summer.

Wade’s college ties with Marquette make Milwaukee a fit, but it’s still hard to see a Miami lifer like he is packing up his family and leaving the NBA’s most desirable city east of Los Angeles for…

The 34-year-old guard had a productive 2015-2016 season after tense contract negotiations with the Heat last year that resulted in a one-year, $20 million dollar contract. And ESPN reported the New York Knicks also are involved. While resigning center Hassan White to a 4-year $98 million deal and trying to stay relevant in the Kevin Durant sweepstakes they have brushed away Dwyane Wade. Noah is expected to sign a contract for $17.5 million per year that would give the Knicks, pending cap holds, between $16 million and $18 million of cap space.

Back in 2010, the Bulls targeted both LeBron James and Dwyane Wade in free agency as the team looked to put pieces around Derrick Rose in Chicago.

That is why there has been reports of them targeting some in free agency.

The Bucks would have to make some moves to find enough money to sign Wade but team officials are said to be intrigued about the leadership he could bring to a young squad including 21-year-olds Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker. Phil Jackson was asked Saturday about the Knicks’ interest and he stuck to the rules this time, refusing to comment, but it’s clear the Knicks would love to have him at shooting guard.

Wade has taken less than his maximum-salary value on three straight deals to allow the Heat to supplement the roster with top talent. If Miami strikes out on Durant, it should have sufficient money to meet any contract demands from Wade.