After a strong season as Hassan Whiteside’s backup, Miami Heat center Willie Reed will opt out of his contract to test the open market of free agency, where he’s expected to get a raise.
Reed, who averaged 5.3 points and 4.7 rebounds in 14.5 minutes per game, declined a 2017-18 salary that would have paid him just north of $1 million. The 27-year-old center spent the season backing up Whiteside, providing the Heat with rim protection while their shot-blocking 7-footer was on the bench.
Centers with Reed’s talent and potential saw a market that paid them well into the $10 million-plus range last summer, but that was after a much larger cap spike than this offseason.