Dwyane Wade to meet with Nuggets in New York

Miami Heat free agent Dwyane Wade is meeting with the Denver Nuggets’ hierarchy on Wednesday in New York, league sources told The Vertical.

Wade has traveled to New York for meetings that will include Denver president Josh Kroenke, general manager Tim Connelly and coach Michael Malone, league sources said.

Wade’s acrimonious discussions with the Heat have led him to taking the next step with interested teams, which could turn out to be a way for the 12-time All-Star to leverage a third guaranteed contract year out of Miami – or the beginning of the end of his 13-year, three-NBA-championship run with Miami.

The Nuggets have been aggressive in pursuit of Wade, offering a two-year, approximately $52 million contract, sources said.

The Chicago Bulls have maintained significant interest in Wade and may still decide to join the Nuggets in New York for a meeting with Wade, league sources said.

Denver drafted shooting guards Jamal Murray and Malik Beasley in the first-round of this year’s draft – and have a 21-year-old starting shooting guard, Gary Harris, who was a first-round pick in 2014.

The possibility of a guaranteed third-year on his contract has emerged as a priority for Wade in the marketplace, league sources told The Vertical.

The Miami Heat have countered with a two-year, approximately $40 million offer, but Wade seems determined in his desire for a longer term contract, league sources said.

Wade’s been unhappy with a lower initial offer from Miami, which was partly due to the need to re-sign center Hassan Whiteside and pursue All-Star forward Kevin Durant.

Nevertheless, Wade, who has become synonymous with the South Florida sporting community, has been aggressive in the marketplace, letting teams know that he’s serious about considering a move out of Miami, sources said.

In the end, this could all be a leverage push to make Miami pay him his market salary, but the Nuggets and Bulls have been willing to ride out the process with him, sources said.

Wade, 34, had an excellent season for the Heat, averaging 19 points and leading a depleted roster into a Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Wade has taken less than his maximum salary value on three consecutive deals to allow the Heat to supplement the roster with top talent. This time, the Heat are trying to balance re-signing Whiteside to a four-year, $98 million maximum deal and improve their team after a failed bid to land Durant, who ultimately chose Golden State.

Wade had been the cornerstone of the recruitment of LeBron James and Chris Bosh to the Heat, which led to two NBA titles. There’s some risk in Wade’s stance, because there could come a point in which Miami ownership and management balks, refuses to offer additional guaranteed years and challenges Wade to leave the franchise.