Heat to stretch final year of Anderson's deal to acquire Butler

The Miami Heat have opted to waive forward Ryan Anderson and utilize the stretch provision on the final season of his contract in order to finalize the sign-and-trade deal for Jimmy Butler with the Philadelphia 76ers, according to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

The last year of Anderson's contract is for $21.3 million for the 2019-20 season, $15.6 million of which is guaranteed, meaning the Heat will absorb cap hits of $5.2 million in each of the next three seasons. He will not become an unrestricted free agent.

In order to execute a sign-and-trade deal, the Heat had to get below the NBA's hard cap of $138.9 million. By using the stretch provision on Anderson's final season, Miami moves to $1.9 million below that number, according to Bobby Marks of ESPN.

Anderson signed a four-year, $80 million free-agent deal with the Houston Rockets in the summer of 2016, but has never been able to live up to that contract in terms of contributions on the court and after losing playing time in Houston, he was dealt to both the Phoenix Suns and the Heat last season.

The 31-year-old appeared in only 25 games (8 starts) last season, averaging 2.5 points and 2.2 rebounds in 12.9 minutes, shooting 30.4 percent from the field, 22.5 percent from deep and 75.0 percent form the free-throw line.

Anderson was the 21st overall pick of the 2008 NBA Draft out of California by the New Jersey Nets. He carries career averages of 12.4 points and 5.3 boards in 25.9 minutes in 647 games (289 starts), along with a shooting line of 42.2/38.0/85.4.