Heat want Wade to sign extension

MIAMI — When Dwyane Wade checked his cell phone shortly after midnight Sunday, he got perhaps the most predictable text message of his life.

After all, it hardly classifies as stunning news that the Miami Heat want to keep him.

Wade said Heat president Pat Riley texted those sentiments very early Sunday, in what amounts to a largely ceremonial move. The Heat had to wait until 12:01 a.m. on July 12 before they could formally offer an extension to the reigning NBA scoring champion, and Wade said Riley didn't wait too long before pressing the send button expressing interest.

"It's no rush," Wade said. "We all know that."

Wade didn't reveal what the text message said, other than confirming the obvious, that Riley was reaffirming Miami's hope that the 2006 NBA finals MVP sticks around for many years to come.

"Something like that," Wade said, moments before he and Alonzo Mourning capped the five-day Zo's Summer Groove fundraising series with a charity game featuring other NBA standouts like Caron Butler, Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony and Wade's Miami teammates Udonis Haslem, Michael Beasley, Daequan Cook, Mario Chalmers and Dorell Wright.

Wade will meet with Riley and Heat owner Micky Arison later this summer, and those talks will surely revolve around a three-year extension that will last through the 2013-14 season.

There's no timetable for any meeting, Wade said.

"Not yet," Wade said. "We'll get it set up when we all can get together."

Riley did not comment Sunday, other than confirming that he texted Wade and his agent, Henry Thomas, at 12:01 a.m.

His future has been the subject of much discussion, particularly in recent days, after Wade did a series of interviews promoting the charity events he and Mourning were hosting. Wade has repeatedly said he is happy in Miami, but merely wants to see the team get better and an assurance that Miami will perennially try to be a championship contender before re-signing.

"Like I said, I'm good here. I'm happy here," Wade said. "This is where I want to be and we'll go from there."

Wade set career bests last season in scoring average (30.2 per game), 3-point goals (88), steals (2.2 per game), blocks (1.3 per game) and games played (79).