A clerical error in the office of agent Bill Duffy led to Heat guard Anthony Carter's free-agent status and the possible loss of $4.1 million in his salary, according to Duffy's comments to a Web site Monday.

Duffy, Carter's agent, didn't return telephone calls, but told ESPN.com, "I feel sick for the person in our office who was responsible (for monitoring Carter's situation and contacting the Heat) and he feels sick about it. This is obviously an unfortunate situation, but it's my name on the company and I'll take responsibility for it."

Duffy is one of the NBA's most well-known agents, representing Yao Ming, Steve Nash, Jay Williams and Drew Gooden among others. Often sports agents handle their most prominent clients themselves and give the lesser-known players to others in their office.

That appears to be what happened in this case.

Neither Carter nor anyone on his behalf notified the Heat by the league-mandated June 30 deadline of Carter's intent to activate the "opt-in" clause in his contract. Such notification would have meant Carter would return to the Heat for his $4.1 million salary, the final payout on his three-year, $12 million contract.