NBA Rumors: Mike Miller Crazy to Think Miami Heat Won't Use Amnesty Clause
The new NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement allows teams to have an “Amnesty Clause” to eliminate a bad contract from their payroll. For example, the Miami Heat have Mike Miller’s contract that they should eliminate by using the amnesty clause.
Miller signed last year with the Heat for a five-year $30 million deal. He was expected to be a sharp-shooter that would take pressure off of Dwayne Wade and LeBron James.
However, injuries and a slow start plagued Miller’s first year with Miami. Because Miller is dealing with a sports-hernia, it’s not even a given that he will start on the Heat’s opening day roster should the team decide not to release him.
Miller is not feeling any pressure of the team threatening to cut him. As general assignment columnist FOX Sports/FOX Sports Florida, Chris Tomasson tweeted that Miller said, “I’m pretty secure here.” However, as Tomasson went on to say, Miller did not go further into detail about what he meant.
The Heat have a chance to get rid of Miller’s contract while picking up a more durable player in free agent Shane Battier. It has been reported on Yahoo! by Adrian Wojnarowski that Miami has made Battier their number one target during this offseason.
"Battier has been a primary target in free agency for the Heat, and sources say the pitch of Riley, coach Erik Spoelstra and key Heat players could ultimately confirm Battier’s strong feelings about chasing a championship in Miami.
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Adding Battier gives the Heat a stronger defender than Miller, plus someone that can take pressure off of James and Wade. Battier has played in 78 or more games in eight of his 10 seasons in the NBA.
With Battier they add a toughness that they didn’t have with Miller. Using their amnesty clause will free up the space for Battier to come right into this Heat team. It’s a shame that Miami would cut someone while they were hurt, but the NBA is a business first.
Miller will find another team to play on once he is healthy. However, it will not be with the team that signed him last year to be a piece in their championship puzzle.
It’s been a disappointing year with the Heat and it will come to an end very soon. The Miami Heat have one chance at making their roster better, and they need to fix the mistake of signing Miller.
