Miami Heat three-point shooting forward Duncan Robinson has opted to become a free agent this offseason.
With a 5 p.m. deadline on Sunday to decide on the the early-termination option in his contract for next season, Robinson has decided to exercise that option to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, a league source confirmed to the Miami Herald.
Robinson’s other option was to allow Sunday’s deadline to pass without exercising his early-termination option, which would have kept him on the Heat’s books and guaranteed $9.9 million of his $19.9 million salary for next season. But Robinson turned down that guaranteed money to hit free agency.
While Robinson could begin talking about a new deal with other teams when free agency opens Monday at 6 p.m., returning to the Heat on a new contract also remains a possibility, according to a league source.
One option for the Heat to bring back Robinson is a contract that would pay him the $9.9 million he would have been guaranteed for next season with additional season of guaranteed money tacked on. For example, a $33 million contract over three years that would give Robinson a significant amount of guaranteed money while also keeping his cap hit for this upcoming season at $9.9 million to get the Heat under the luxury-tax threshold.
Robinson could also be used in a sign-and-trade deal if he strikes a deal elsewhere and needs the Heat to help facilitate such an agreement. The Heat could then up getting assets in return for its role in a sign-and-trade transaction involving Robinson.
Robinson, 31, has developed into one of the Heat’s undrafted success stories. He joined the Heat after going undrafted out of Michigan in 2018, becoming the franchise leader for the most career three-pointers made by a Heat player.
Robinson has made 1,202 three-pointers while shooting an impressive 39.7 percent from behind the arc during his seven regular seasons with the Heat. He’s one of only nine NBA players who has made more than 1,000 threes while shooting better than 39 percent from three-point range since the 2018-19 season, along with Stephen Curry, Buddy Hield, Malik Beasley, CJ McCollum, Paul George, Zach LaVine, Klay Thompson and Gary Trent Jr.
But Robinson’s role has diminished over the years. After starting in 209 of his 239 regular-season appearances over his first four NBA seasons with the Heat, he has started in 74 of his 184 regular-season appearances over the last three seasons.
Robinson averaged 11 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game while shooting 43.7 percent from the field and 39.3 percent on 6.5 three-point attempts per game last regular season.
This breaking news story will be updated.