The Miami Heat are working on a new contract with Udonis Haslem, according to a report by the Sun-Sentinel.
Haslem has spent his entire career with the Heat and is a captain on the team. Dwyane Wade was also a team captain until he bolted for Chicago earlier this week. Like Wade, Haslem has been with the Heat for 13 years and has served a key role off the bench.
While he doesn't play big minutes and misses plenty of games each season, Haslem is almost always a source of clutch play. The veteran plays tough defense and has the ability to score in bunches when needed. Haslem is a beloved fan favorite and an important player for the franchise to retain after seeing Wade depart.
In the 2015-16 season, Haslem only took part in 37 contests which was the lowest total since the 2010-11 season. It was also the first time since that same season that Haslem started zero games. In the playoffs, Haslem saw action in nine games and actually increases his scoring average compared to the season. In the postseason, Haslem averaged 2.3 points in roughly nine minutes played per game. In the regular season, the forward averaged 1.6 points in seven minutes per game.
Haslem has been on all three of Miami's championship teams and is a local product. The 36-year old was born in Miami and went to the University of Florida. The veteran still lives in South Florida and has been spotted at Marlins Park on multiple occasions.
If a deal with Haslem is consummated, it will likely be for around the minimum salary. Besides the Haslem talks, the Heat will still need to make several more moves to complete the roster.
