Dwyane Wade, a three-time NBA champion with Miami, is set to join his hometown Chicago Bulls following 13 seasons with the Heat.
The 34-year-old free agent and 12-time all star reportedly baulked at a two-year, $40 million (Dh 146.93 million) deal from the only franchise he has known. His new deal will reportedly pay him $47.5 million over two years, with a player option in year two.
Heat owner Micky Arison wished Wade good luck with his new team Wednesday night on Twitter.
The Heat no doubt figured Wade was expendable as injuries -- especially knee problems -- have cut down his playing time over the last few seasons. This past season he played a career low 30.5 minutes a game and averaged 19.0 points per game, which equalled his lowest total since his rookie season in 2003-04. He was also reportedly upset with Miami making a priority of trying to re-sign Hassan Whiteside and attempting to woo Kevin Durant from Oklahoma City.
• More: Durant, Warriors can't be missed | Podcast
Wade has made over $300 million (Dh 1.1 billion) in a career during which he teamed with LeBron James and Chris Bosh to championships in 2012 and 2013 after first winning one with Shaquille O’Neal in 2006.
Before reports surfaced about Wade going to Chicago, he had been linked to the Denver Nuggets, the Milwaukee Bucks and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Wade, who played on the 2008 US Olympic gold medal team of NBA stars, has never been the Heat’s top-paid player.
The Denver Nuggets reportedly pitched as much as $52 million (Dh 191 million) for two years while Bulls guard Rajon Rondo and Jimmy Butler had been pushing for Wade to come play for his hometown club.
Reaction from players around the league was one of surprise.
"Wow!!! Never would have imagine that...," tweeted DeMarre Carroll of the Toronto Raptors.
Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers said: "CONGRATS MY BROTHER!!!!"
Mavs add Barnes
The Mavericks signed free agent forward Harrison Barnes to a four-year, $94 million (Dh 345 million) maximum contract as soon as the rules allowed, with a lighthearted poke at the drama that cost them DeAndre Jordan last year.
Dallas owner Mark Cuban tweeted a picture shortly after the NBA’s moratorium ended at 12:01 a.m. Eastern time Thursday showing the former Golden State player playfully handcuffed to president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson, with both smiling.
It was actually still late Wednesday night in Barnes’ hometown of Ames, Iowa, where the signing took place. The photo included a smiling coach Rick Carlisle pointing to the contract, along with assistant vice president Michael Finley, a former Maverick.
On the last day before signings could become official a year ago, the Mavericks lost out on Jordan when the centre backed out on an agreement with Dallas and stayed with the Los Angeles Clippers. A contingent led by coach Doc Rivers descended on Jordan’s Houston home and stayed with him until he signed.
After missing out on Memphis guard Mike Conley and Miami centre Whiteside this year, the Mavericks worked a deal with Barnes as a restricted free agent, with the possibility of the Warriors matching. But that changed when Golden State got a commitment from Durant and would have to renounce the rights to Barnes to create room under the salary cap.
Dallas is also getting Andrew Bogut from Golden State in a trade also sparked by cap needs over the Durant agreement. The NBA must still approve that deal.
Suns sign Barbosa
The Phoenix Suns have agreed to a two-year contract with Brazilian guard Leandro Barbosa to return to the franchise, according to a person with knowledge of the situation.
The deal is for $4 million (Dh 14.69 million) each year with $500,000 guaranteed for the second year, according to the person, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the deal had not been officially announced.
It means Barbosa will receive either $8 million for two years or $4.5 million for one year if the Suns decide not to keep him the second year.
The 33-year-old Brazilian spent his first seven NBA seasons with Phoenix and was back with the Suns in 2013-14. He played a reserve role for the Golden State Warriors the past two seasons.
He is the second player returning to the Suns after playing elsewhere. Jared Dudley has agreed to a three-year, $30 million contract. They add a veteran presence to an exceedingly young roster.
Barbosa has played for five NBA teams and has averaged 11 points per game in his career. He was part of Golden State’s NBA championship team in 2014-15. His best season was with Phoenix in 2006-07, when he averaged 18.1 points and won the NBA’s Sixth Man award.
Warriors hire Mike Brown as assistant to replace Luke Walton
The Golden State Warriors have hired former Cleveland and Los Angeles Lakers coach Mike Brown as an assistant on coach Steve Kerr’s staff.
The Warriors announced Wednesday that Brown will replace Luke Walton, who left to become the Lakers’ coach.
Brown has a 347-216 career record in eight seasons. He took the Cavaliers to the NBA Finals in 2007 and won Coach of the Year in 2008-09 after helping Cleveland win 66 games.
Brown was also an assistant in San Antonio when Kerr played for the Spurs.
Golden State also signed second-round pick Patrick McCaw. McCaw was selected 38th overall in last month’s draft by Milwaukee before the Warriors bought his rights for about $2.4 million.
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Tips for used car buyers
- Choose cars with GCC specifications
- Get a service history for cars less than five years old
- Don’t go cheap on the inspection
- Check for oil leaks
- Do a Google search on the standard problems for your car model
- Do your due diligence. Get a transfer of ownership done at an official RTA centre
- Check the vehicle’s condition. You don’t want to buy a car that’s a good deal but ends up costing you Dh10,000 in repairs every month
- Validate warranty and service contracts with the relevant agency and and make sure they are valid when ownership is transferred
- If you are planning to sell the car soon, buy one with a good resale value. The two most popular cars in the UAE are black or white in colour and other colours are harder to sell
Tarek Kabrit, chief executive of Seez, and Imad Hammad, chief executive and co-founder of CarSwitch.com
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Herc's Adventures
Developer: Big Ape Productions
Publisher: LucasArts
Console: PlayStation 1 & 5, Sega Saturn
Rating: 4/5
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
MATCH INFO
Watford 1 (Deulofeu 80' p)
Chelsea 2 (Abraham 5', Pulisic 55')
MATCH INFO
Sheffield United 0 Wolves 2 (Jimenez 3', Saiss 6)
Man of the Match Romain Saiss (Wolves)
MATCH INFO
Tottenham Hotspur 0 Everton 1 (Calvert-Lewin 55')
Man of the Match Allan (Everton)
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Top 10 in the F1 drivers' standings
1. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 202 points
2. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-GP 188
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes-GP 169
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull Racing 117
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 116
6. Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing 67
7. Sergio Perez, Force India 56
8. Esteban Ocon, Force India 45
9. Carlos Sainz Jr, Toro Rosso 35
10. Nico Hulkenberg, Renault 26
match info
Union Berlin 0
Bayern Munich 1 (Lewandowski 40' pen, Pavard 80')
Man of the Match: Benjamin Pavard (Bayern Munich)
ETFs explained
Exhchange traded funds are bought and sold like shares, but operate as index-tracking funds, passively following their chosen indices, such as the S&P 500, FTSE 100 and the FTSE All World, plus a vast range of smaller exchanges and commodities, such as gold, silver, copper sugar, coffee and oil.
ETFs have zero upfront fees and annual charges as low as 0.07 per cent a year, which means you get to keep more of your returns, as actively managed funds can charge as much as 1.5 per cent a year.
There are thousands to choose from, with the five biggest providers BlackRock’s iShares range, Vanguard, State Street Global Advisors SPDR ETFs, Deutsche Bank AWM X-trackers and Invesco PowerShares.
RESULTS
6.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh82.500 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner Meshakel, Royston Ffrench (jockey), Salem bin Ghadayer (trainer)
7.05pm Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,400m
Winner Gervais, Connor Beasley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
7.40pm Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (Turf) 2,410m
Winner Global Heat, Pat Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor.
8.15pm Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner Firnas, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
8.50pm UAE 2000 Guineas Trial (TB) Conditions Dh183,650 (D) 1,600m
Winner Rebel’s Romance, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
9.25pm Dubai Trophy (TB) Conditions Dh183,650 (T) 1,200m
Winner Topper Bill, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
10pm Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (T) 1,400m
Winner Wasim, Mickael Barzalona, Ismail Mohammed.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
