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After a night of conflicting reports, Dwyane Wade will become a Chicago Bull on Thursday .... and the Nets will likely, according to most punditry, lose Tyler Johnson, who they had hoped would be their back-up point guard and sixth man.
With Wade's $30 million cap hold now off the books in Miami, the Heat can either match the Nets $50 million offer or convince him not to sign the offer sheet at all ... and restructure the deal that would be more cap friendly.
David Aldridge reports the Heat are already moving...
Heat, unsurprisingly, reached out to Tyler Johnson camp tonight. Imagine it will offer more cap-friendly version of deal Johnson has w/Nets.
— David Aldridge (@daldridgetnt) July 7, 2016
But while most think the Nets will lose their shot at Johnson, as of midnight Thursday (the first minute Johnson can sign the offer sheet), there was nothing definitive.
Under the offer sheet, the Nets would pay the 6'4" combo guard $5.6 million next season, $5.9 in 2017-18; $18.9 million in 2018-19 and $19.6 million in 2019-20 -- but it would only count as $12.5 million on the cap for each of the four years. If the Heat match, their cap would reflect the actual amounts paid out. So, it would be better for Pat Riley if Johnson didn't sign anything and he structured a deal more cap-friendly.
As Bobby Marks explained...
@BrooklynASAP nothing has been signed by Johnson. Heat would have to use room to structure it starting at $12.5m.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) July 7, 2016
Then again, who knows? Earlier Wednesday, it looked like the Nets were going to get Jose Calderon. He eventually wound up in L.A. with the Lakers. In fact, Marc Stein and Adrian Wojnarowski had contradictory information.
Brooklyn has emerged as a potential trade partner for Chicago to send Jose Calderon, according to league sources
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) July 7, 2016
Never discussion on Calderon to Brooklyn. Nets were motivated for Wade to stay in Miami, making it harder for Heat to match on Tyler Johnson
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) July 7, 2016
Nets source confirms Calderon was "an option" for us. Once it was clear Wade was leaving Miami, Brooklyn pondered before Lakers sealed Jose
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) July 7, 2016
Whatever...
Meanwhile, in interviews conducted before the Wade move, Johnson's mother , Jennifer Johnson, and 16-year-old brother, Logan, spoke about how thrilled he was to join the Nets ... and how emotional he was.
"We're very humble and he was pretty emotional, feeling pretty sick.," she said. "You know, just like what do you do? Because there were multiple offers on the table and even one that was more than that, but he had to choose what was best for him. So he felt like the Nets was the best choice."
"And right after we hung up, I just balled up and cried. It was happy tears. He definitely deserves that. He earned every single bit of it. I'm still shocked," said his brother.
As for the Nets other potential move, an offer sheet for Allen Crabbe of the Blazers, there's nothing new although it appears the two sides did meet.
Nothing new on Allen Crabbe as #Nets fans wait on Tyler Johnson. Restricted free agent intrigue.
— Mike Mazzeo (@MazzESPN) July 7, 2016
If an offer sheet was tendered, Crabbe could sign Thursday as well.
As Jeremy Lin tweeted...
I've seen it all...
— Jeremy Lin (@JLin7) July 7, 2016
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