And then there's the cap room. After accounting for Chalmers, Anthony, the contract guarantee on released guard James Jones and various cap holds (the second-round picks don't count on their cap until they are signed), the Heat amassed a staggering $49.85 million in spending money.
Had James, Wade and Bosh received their full maximum salary (about $16.57 million each), only about $1.56 million would have remained. But true to their word that it was about wins and not about money, each took less so that the Heat could pursue quality players. Sources told ESPN.com that James and Bosh signed for $14.5 million and Wade $14 million, leaving the Heat with nearly $8.3 million to spend.
One persistent rumor has the Heat using some of their leftover cap room to add sharpshooting Mike Miller to the lineup, and Miller is reportedly close to agreeing with the team on a deal totaling $25 million over five years -- which would start at around $4.3 million. While he is a natural small forward (the same position James plays), Miller's skill set would complement those of LeBron, Bosh and Wade, and there would be several ways of slotting him into the lineup. In addition to using Miller as James' backup for the 8-12 minutes James is off the floor, coach Erik Spoelstra could play either Wade or James at point guard and put Miller at the vacated position.
