Dorell Wright says he doesn't want to leave the Heat - but he's open to offers.
Wright, a fourth-year forward who is a restricted free agent, can entertain bids from other teams starting today.
That is when the NBA free agency period begins; teams cannot sign free agents until July 9.
Wright said he has been in frequent contact with his new agent, Arn Tellem, and expects other teams to show interest.
"I love Miami. I've already been in the system,"
said Wright, a part-time starter the past two seasons. "But if I have a chance to go elsewhere, I understand it's a business."
Around the NBA, players such as Corey Maggette, a swingman for the Los Angeles Clippers, New Jersey center DeSagana Diop and Sacramento guard Beno Udrih will attract a lot of attention as unrestricted free agents.
Monday, Washington forward Antawn Jamison re-signed (four years, $50 million), but guard Gilbert Arenas will resume negotiations today. He is expected to return.
Among restricted free agents, Chicago's Ben Gordon, a shooting guard, and small forward Luol Deng will get much attention.
The Heat likely will pursue a point guard aggressively for the second consecutive off-season. Last year, Miami showed great interest in Milwaukee guards Mo Williams and Charlie Bell, but both returned to the Bucks. The Heat settled for Smush Parker, but he played little and eventually left on bad terms.
Miami acquired Kansas point guard Mario Chalmers in a draft-night deal with Minnesota, but Heat President Pat Riley said point guard and center remain priorities.
Miami likely won't have much more to spend in free agency than the mid-level exception, expected to be about $6 million, and the $2 million veteran's exception. The Heat could be in play for guards such as Orlando's Carlos Arroyo, New Orleans' Jannero Pargo or Minnesota's Sebastian Telfair.
Another priority is scoring punch off the bench, which is a specialty of Heat swingman Ricky Davis. But he is an unrestricted free agent who might attract a good amount of attention, especially from a playoff team. Last week, Riley said he didn't have a feel for the Davis situation.
"We're lacking,"
Riley said. "We don't have shooters and we don't have players that have his kind of ability. So it depends on where we are financially and how we look at our future. That's going to be part of the discussion."
The Heat has extended qualifying offers to its restricted free agents - Wright, point guard Chris Quinn and swingman Kasib Powell - and that enables the team to match any offer by another team.
Among the Heat's unrestricted free agents - Davis, guard Jason Williams, center Alonzo Mourning, center Earl Barron and guard Blake Ahearn - there's a chance none could return.
Mourning, who is rehabilitating a serious knee injury, has the best chance to come back, perhaps followed by Davis. The others will likely be left to test the market.
That's what Wright, who missed the final 24 games because of knee surgery, will do. He said if someone offers him significantly more than the Heat's $2.4 million qualifying offer plus a starting job, he would be tempted to leave.
"If someone is talking like that,"
Wright said, "that's something I'd have to think about."
