Miami Heat Offers $80M Deal To Free Agent Goran Dragic

The Miami Heat wants Goran Dragic back with the team for the next few years, reportedly sending him a contract offer valued at $80 million over five years -- lower than the projected maximum contract for the Slovenian point guard. Marc Stein of ESPN.com first reported the specific figures in the Heat’s initial offer for Dragic, who was acquired in a trade with the Phoenix Suns during the 2014-15 NBA season.

Dragic’s current contract will pay him $7.5 million in the 2015-2016 season -- the final year of a four-year, $30 million deal he signed with Phoenix in 2012. The Heat could offer Dragic a contract worth more than $100 million over the same number of years in their initial offer, but the club also has to sign other players on its roster while keeping inside the league's salary cap rules.

Some of the Heat free agents are Dwyane Wade and Luol Deng, both of whom have opt-out options for 2015-2016, and Hassan Whiteside, who is expected to demand a considerable increase when he hits free agency in 2016. The Heat are also tied up to Chris Bosh's huge extension last offseason, a five-year contract worth over $118 million.

Dragic, who averaged 16.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists, is reportedly drawing interest from other teams with cap space in the offseason, including the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks.