Udonis Haslem lifts lid on LeBron James’ sacrifice that cost him ‘MILLIONS’ for incredible reason

Udonis Haslem sheds light on the big three's sacrifice in order to retain him with the Miami Heat.

Udonis Haslem lifts lid on LeBron James’ sacrifice that cost him ‘MILLIONS’ for incredible reason

Udonis Haslem and the big three (Image via: Open Source)

Former NBA player Udonis Haslem revealed in an interview with Taylor Rooks that the star’s fate with the team was sealed with the Big Three. He opened up about the big three making a sacrifice to ensure he stays on the team, shedding light on what it meant to him and the franchise.

For context, in 2010, the Miami Heat pulled off a major coup by signing the three best players in the league: LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. The arrival of these superstars to the Miami roster brought up hopes of winning another championship for fans and experts across the basketball community. 

But it wasn’t only about the big three on the roster; it was also about the role played by athletes like Udonis Haslem, who made a major contribution to the team’s success.

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According to sources, LeBron James and Chris Bosh signed a six-year contract upon their arrival in Miami, which was worth over $110.1 million, and Dwayne Wade signed a contract worth $107 million.

During that time, Udonis Haslem expected a contract valued at $35 million. However, things didn’t happen the way the star expected, as Miami couldn’t honor that value and presented him with a revised offer valued at $20 million. The star player acknowledges that this was possible because of the sacrifice the big three made with respect to their pay cuts, and he made sure that their effort to retain him on the team would not go in vain.

As Udonis Haslem said, the big three’s sacrifice was worth it, as he won two NBA championships along with the trio. 

Dwyane [Wade] knew me. But LeBron [James] and Chris [Bosh] didn’t. The fact that they sacrificed millions of dollars for someone they didn’t know.
Udonis said in the interview with Taylor Rooks

Udonis Haslem to be with the Miami Heat with a special role post-recent retirement

Heat’s long-time star Udonis Haslem has recently retired from the NBA after playing 20 seasons with the Miami Heat. Haslem went undrafted in 2002 due to the lack of a forward. He signed with his home team, Miami Heat, in 2003.

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Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem (image via Twitter)

Sources suggest the long-time Heat player, post-retirement, will be part of the organization in the role of player development and in the front office.

During the media availability, the Miami Heat’s head coach, Erik Spoelstra, shed light on Udonis’s special role with the team’s management. However, he also mentioned that the specifics of the job are still something the management is figuring out and giving the best for the long-time star.

With his special role being announced, Udonis seems to be looking forward to a new aspect of his career. This has made the star not be distant from the program, as he is still seen practicing mid-range shots at the Miami training facility post-retirement.

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