Heat to discuss contract extension with Josh Richardson

Beginning Thursday, the Miami Heat can offer their 2015 second-round pickup Josh Richardson a contract extension for as much as $43 million over four years. And the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson reported that the Heat will discuss an extension with Richardson, and the player will consider it.

If Richardson decides not to sign the extension, he will become a restricted free agent next year. Miami would have the right to exceed the salary cap to keep him.

The decision presents a question for Richardson. Does he bet on himself after an injury-riddled sophomore season and put himself in a position to sign a lucrative offer sheet? Tyler Johnson signed a four-year, $50 million offer sheet with the Brooklyn Nets before Miami matched it. Or does Richardson take the security of a four-year extension?

According to Jackson, the “mother lode of salary cap space available in the NBA the past two summers will be considerably less prevalent next year.” That could push Richardson to sign the extension — teams may not be able to offer bench players the money they’ve received the last two summers.