World News – US – Dragic and Leonard announce they will stay with Heat

MIAMI – Goran Dragic has repeatedly said that he wants to end his career in Miami. Myers Leonard finished last season wanting a second round with the Heat.

Sources confirmed to ESPN’s Bobby Marks a two-year Dragic deal with the team’s option in the second year. . The Leonard deal is also for two years and is worth about $ 20 million, agents Aaron Mintz and Dave Spahn of ESPN told Adrian Wojnarowski..

The Heat is still resilient with $ 9. 3 million average level and 3 dollars. Six million biannual exceptions after these signatures, according to Marx. They have 12 contract players with $ 20 million USD less tax.

Dragic told the AP: “Happy to be back. “That was my plan, to come back, but in this crazy act you never know.

The Heat beat East as a No.. The fifth seed last season, Jamie Butler’s first year in Miami and a year in which the youthful core of the team blossomed – all stars Pam Adebayo, Duncan Robinson, Tyler Hero and Kendrick Nunn.

“I wanted nothing more than to return to Miami. Leonard told The Associated Press. “I felt extremely fortunate to feel right at home and feel this way all year long. From top to bottom, from Pat to Seboo, from Jimmy to Pam, from Joran to UD and the rest of my teammates, I felt just fine.. There is no other way to put it.

Dragic enters his seventh season with the Heat team, graduating with an average of 16 years. 2 points while playing on the bench in the regular season. He became a key player again in the qualifiers and tore the plantar fascia in the first game of the NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers, an injury that damaged Miami’s chances. .

The Heat Dragic has surprised billboards in his hometown Slovenia in recent days, with slogans like «  Your second family is always with you.. « That gesture was very moving, » said Dragic.

« I was in the car with my wife and brother, and they drove me past those billboards, » said

. « I did not know. They didn’t tell me anything. They just said, « Look right. And when I saw myself, I saw what they said, it really touched my heart. this is my home. I want to stay here in Miami. I appreciate Pat Riley, Andy Ellisburg, the whole organization and what they have done for me.

Leonard averaged 6. One point for the Heat this past season, starting with most of the regular season. He said he had no desire last year to try to put big numbers into a contract year, and instead decided to focus simply on doing whatever it took for Miami to win matches..

“It feels good to be wanted, no. 1. Leonard, who intends to travel from his out-of-season headquarters in Los Angeles to Miami soon, said, « But more to me, I’m incredibly grateful, because Heat values ​​Myers Leonard as a complete group. ». . «  The human, the colleague, the player. Everything matters to them and this concerns me. I’ve found comfort in knowing exactly who I am as a person and as a player and I’ve shown enough people exactly what this is and I don’t change to anyone..

Miami Heat, Goran Dragic, Myers Leonard, Free Agent, NBA