MIAMI – The Miami Heat are designating Mike Miller as their amnesty player, a move that may save more than $30 million in luxury tax payments over the next two years.
Miller spent three seasons in Miami, helping the Heat win two titles and playing big roles in each playoff run. He started the last four games of this year's NBA Finals and made seven 3-pointers in Miami's title-clinching Game 5 win over Oklahoma City in 2012.
Miller was due $12.8 million over the next two seasons, which he still gets. But his salary will not count against Miami's cap, nor factor into a luxury-tax hit that would have exceeded $30 million in 2014.
Miller tells The Associated Press he understands the move, though he's disappointed to leave a championship club.
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