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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, July 13, 2009

NBA: Riley makes sure Wade knows how much team wants him as its cornerstone


By Ira Winderman
Sun Sentinel

MIAMI — Yes, Dwyane Wade said Sunday, “I got my 12:01.”

Heat President Pat Riley reached out to his talented shooting guard the first minute he was allowed to sign Wade to a contract extension early Sunday morning.
That overture, however, did nothing to end the waiting game, despite Riley and agent Henry Thomas confirming that a maximum, three-year extension offer that would keep Wade under contract through 2013-14 immediately was placed on the table.
“There’s nothing further to discuss other than I got a call at 12:01,” Wade said before participating in his charity Summer Groove all-star game at AmericanAirlines Arena.
Riley, through a spokesman, confirmed the contact, but declined further comment, other than to acknowledge the two would “meet when the time is appropriate.”
Should Wade bypass the extension, he could become a free agent next summer and sign through 2015-16.
Ultimately, Sunday offered little drama.
Not only have Wade and Riley yet to make headway in the process, but LeBron James and Carlos Boozer were no-shows to the event co-promoted by Alonzo Mourning, after previously committing to appear in Sunday’s game.
James has yet to discuss a contract situation that mirrors Wade’s, with a partnership between the two possible in 2010-11 in Cleveland, Miami or elsewhere, possibly New York.
Boozer, who participated in Thursday’s Summer Groove golf tournament at Doral, has been linked to Heat trade talks amid the Utah Jazz’s luxury-tax concerns.
Instead, Sunday’s focus remained on Wade and his extension window, which runs through next June.
Riley’s overture came via text message.
“It was a text,” Wade said. “We’re in the new world today, so, yeah, it was a text.”
Asked what Riley texted, Wade smiled and said, “I can’t disclose the information like that.”
Wade said there still was no timetable regarding a possible meeting with Riley and owner Micky Arison.
“I don’t know. None of us are rushing,” he said. “We’re not going anywhere. When time is right, when all of us can meet and get together, we will.”
Wade said lost amid the speculation about his future is his oft-stated desire to remain in South Florida with the Heat.
“That part of the interview is never sexy enough to sell papers or to lead off ESPN, it’s not sexy enough,” he said. “So you go to the sexy part of it and say I want something else. This is where I want to be and we’ll go from there.”
Wade said the fact he is in the middle of such contract drama is somewhat overwhelming.
“It’s great and I feel very honored and blessed, first of all to make it to the NBA, but then to be in a position where I’m on my third contract now,” he said. “That a team wants you and wants you to be a big part of the future, that is a testament to itself and is phenomenal.”
Mourning participates
Despite retiring after sustaining a serious knee injury in December 2007, Mourning reversed course and participated in Sunday’s game, scoring his “Old School” team’s first basket beneath the banner honoring his retired Heat No. 33. ...
Current Heat players in uniform for Sunday’s game were Michael Beasley, Mario Chalmers, Udonis Haslem, Dorell Wright, Daequan Cook, second-round pick Patrick Beverley and Wade.