Miami has a bunch of minimum wage reserves whose contracts expired. They also have over $5 million in raises in the long term contracts, so their payroll for eight players drops from $80 million to $78 million, for now, but the salary cap is less than $60 million, so all they can do for the next four years is add minimum wage and mid-level exception players. That's better than nothing. Shaquile O'Neil agreed to sign with the Celtics for the veteran minimum because doing so would get him his best shot at adding a ring to his collection, but that is a rare situation.
The third and fourth contract years of their half a dozen best players are all player options at their max salary, so those players will only exercise those options if they have become worth less than that.
The third and fourth contract years of their half a dozen best players are all player options at their max salary, so those players will only exercise those options if they have become worth less than that.
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