Dwyane Wade is now ready for a raise from the Miami Heat, according to sources, and the veteran guard is prepared to use his opt-out clause to ensure it.
Wade is in the middle of a two-year, $33 million deal signed last offseason that was seen as a transitional contract designed to give the Heat salary-cap flexibility in the short term.
It was the second consecutive contract on which Wade accepted a pay cut. This one reduced his salary by about $6 million from the deal he opted out of last summer. The move helped the Heat sign Luol Deng as a free agent.
The Heat, who have benefited from Wade's willingness to take pay cuts in the past, would be under pressure to give him a richer long-term deal.
But after several injury-plagued seasons, including 20 games lost this season, the free-agent market for Wade could be challenging if he wanted more than the $16 million he made this season and the roughly $16 million he would make if he opted to finish out his current deal.
These conflicting leverages have led to an impasse in the early stages of talks, sources told ESPN.
Wade, 33, averaged a team-high 21.5 points per game last season and teamed with Goran Dragic (acquired in a trade) to form Miami's starting backcourt. He is the franchise's leader in games, points, assists and steals.
Wade has until June 29 to make a decision on whether to pick up the option in his contract for next season.
Information from ESPN.com's Ramona Shelburne and The Associated Press was used in this report.