Wayne Ellington, Miami Heat agree on deal
Guard Wayne Ellington emerged as one of the NBA’s top 3-point shooters last season. The Miami Heat apparently seem set to keep the sharpshooter around as they aim to build on last season’s run to the playoffs.
The Heat and Ellington have agreed to a deal with the unrestricted free agent. Here’s more from Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel on the news:
Wayne Ellington will continue to dial from long distance with the Miami Heat, with the veteran guard reaching an agreement with the team Thursday in NBA free agency, the Sun Sentinel has confirmed.
Ellington agreed to a one-year, $6.3 million contract, matching his salary from this past season. Because of the one-year term of the deal and Ellington’s status as a Bird Rights free agent next summer, his contract comes with a no-trade clause, requiring his permission for a move during the 2018-19 season.
The agreement puts the Heat $3.2 million over the punitive luxury tax on excessive NBA payrolls, which would require a $4.9 million luxury-tax payment to the league. The tax, however, is not computed until the end of a season, giving the Heat time to work back under the tax with other personnel moves. The team has stressed a desire not be in the luxury tax after the coming season, due to long-term implications.
With the Heat now in the luxury tax, it now limits their mid-level exception to $5.3 million.
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The Heat’s remaining free agents are Dwyane Wade, Udonis Haslem, Luke Babbitt and Jordan Mickey and Derrick Walton Jr., with the Ellington agreement making it highly unlikely that Walton returns.
Ellington, 30, is coming off a career season in which he averaged 11.2 points per game while shooting 39.2 percent from 3-point range.
