Free-agent roundup: Day 2 brings Wade resolution and Aldridge adjustments (Ball Don't Lie)

[Yahoo! Sports - NBA -]

In case you missed these reports ... • The biggest news of the day found Miami Heat icon Dwyane Wade, a surprise free agent after opting out of his contract Monday , coming back to the club at one year for $20 million. That's a hefty price for a 33-year-old guard without much three-point prowess, but Wade has sacrificed max-level money several times in the past for the good of the franchise. This deal also allows the Heat to avoid the public relations nightmare of offering the best player in franchise history (adjusted for seasons played, at least) a relatively low salary while still keeping them in play to add free agent Kevin Durant next summer. If that's not enough, Yahoo's own Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Heat have worked their way into this summer's multi-team pursuit of power forward LaMarcus Aldridge. • Meanwhile, the only difference between Wade and Monta Ellis is more wins, three championship rings, and three years and $24 million. Marc Stein and Chris Broussard of ESPN.com reported that the Indiana Pacers and Ellis have agreed to terms on a four-year, $44-million deal to bring athleticism and scoring punch to a squad looking to get faster and more versatile. Woj had previously reported that Ellis and the Pacers were in serious negotiations. Our Dan Devine likes the fit quite a bit , particularly because Indiana seems prepared to cover for the explosive scorer's clear weaknesses as a defender. • The Dallas Mavericks will replace Ellis with Wesley Matthews , added on a four-year contract at a dollar value that will not be finalized until they hear back from targets Aldridge and DeAndre Jordan. Matthews apparently turned down a more lucrative $64-million offer from the Sacramento Kings but opted to play for the considerably more stable Mavericks. Matthews probably owes agent Jeff Austin a meal of his choice, because there were no assurances that the market would be there for an admittedly excellent player still rehabbing from a torn Achilles tendon.

Continue reading...