While the anticipation of opening evening can present its personal reward, the stakes have been increased for Miami Heat ahead Haywood Highsmith.
Unlike the remainder of his teammates, it additionally meant the chance to money in.
Of the 14 gamers below commonplace contract to the Heat, just one entered the preseason with out a absolutely assured deal.
Now, the 25-year-old developmental ahead has taken one other step towards cashing in on his first full season of NBA wage.
As a part of the three-year deal Highsmith signed in March, after initially being known as up on a COVID emergency deal after which retained on 10-day contracts, 4 goal dates had been put in place on his $1.75 million wage this season.
The first was a $50,000 assure on July 1 that assured his look at summer season league, the place he thrived. Now that assure is as much as $400,000 by being on the opening-night roster for the Heat’s Wednesday evening matchup towards the Chicago Bulls at FTX Arena. Next, the assure goes as much as $700,000 if he’s on the roster on Dec. 1. Then, as with all NBA contracts, his wage for 2022-23 turns into absolutely assured if not launched earlier than Jan. 10.
“I mean, I really don’t think about it too, too much,” Highsmith advised the Sun Sentinel. “But it’s good to know that when you get previous a sure date, I’m getting just a little extra assured cash.
“It just shows that I’m putting in the right steps, doing the right thing to stay on the team and trying to prove myself and establish myself in the NBA.”
Each of Highsmith’s three 10-day contracts final season paid $86,000, with a prorated portion of the league minimal following when he was signed for the stability of the season.
Of course, as a matter of perspective in terms of Highsmith’s assure, additionally think about that in incomes $37.653,300 this season, Jimmy Butler earns $459,000 per recreation. So it additionally all is relative.
Until the Heat finalized their regular-season roster, Highsmith stood with the lone contract that would have been offloaded in favor of a alternative with out placing the Heat into the posh tax.
So the steps not solely have come when it comes to wage, but additionally when it comes to confidence from the entrance workplace and training employees. As a part of the deal signed final season, Highsmith is also below contract for 2023-24, supplied he’s assured by July 15.
“Coming from where I came from, small school,” mentioned the undrafted product out of Division II Wheeling University, “typically I couldn’t think about being within the NBA, that it might be a troublesome highway for me. But I’ve taken the steps. It’s been a journey. But I’m pleased with myself and I’ll simply hold going, hold pushing, and pushing to my objectives to be a full-time NBA participant.
“It was a two-way contract before, so trying to become a full-time NBA player. So I’m just putting in the work and just letting everything flow.”
Working in Highsmith’s favor is the obvious choice by coach Erik Spoelstra to play small at instances at energy ahead, just like the method taken final season with P.J. Tucker, who departed within the offseason to the Philadelphia 76ers.
“A smaller four next to Bam [Adebayo] is definitely a lot of speed in the lineup. So that definitely could work,” Highsmith mentioned. “I’m just going to create my own path to get minutes and keep working that way.”
To a level, Highsmith finds himself following within the footsteps of teammate Caleb Martin, who went from two-way contract to Heat rotation enjoying function to $20 million free-agent contract this offseason.
“Caleb was undrafted, worked his way up with the Hornets, had a great couple seasons there, now he’s here, went from a two-way to a great contract,” Highsmith mentioned. “So he’s motivation. I definitely look up to him a lot.”
With respect already earned from Martin.
“I could see how they would look at that, where Haywood would kind of simulate me in terms of just being a small-ball four,” Martin mentioned. “He’s made a reputation for himself. He’s going to create his personal narrative.
“But I can see in terms of the similarities, in terms of the journey coming here, and the way he’s sticking.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com