NBA: Dwyane Wade Discusses Cavs’ Departure, LeBron James’ Free Agency, And Own NBA Future
Last season, Dwyane Wade was given the opportunity to reunite with close pal LeBron James on the Cleveland Cavaliers. The 36-year-old shooting guard was expected to provide a huge help in bringing the second Larry O’Brien Trophy in Cleveland. Unfortunately, Wade’s stint with the Cavaliers didn’t last long as the team decided to send him back to the Miami Heat before the February trade deadline.
In an appearance on Chris and Caron on Fox Sports Radio, Dwyane Wade talked about his departure in Cleveland and how his presence on the team could have affected their recent playoff run. Wade said he didn’t sign with the Cavaliers just to play 82 regular season games, but to help them beat the reigning NBA champion Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals.
Despite his age, Wade definitely knows that he still has something left in his tank, and even LeBron James admitted that the veteran shooting guard would make a huge difference for the Cavaliers in the postseason. However, all they can do right now is move on. Wade made it clear that he holds no grudge against the Cavaliers.
With the 2017-18 NBA season officially over, the Cavaliers will be heading into the summer of 2018 full of uncertainty. Their main man, LeBron James, is expected to opt out of the final year of his contract to become an unrestricted free agent in July. James has not made any official statement regarding his free agency, but Dwyane Wade believes that family will play a major role in LeBron’s decision.
“I don’t think it’s a basketball thing. Obviously this year he showed he could get to the Finals no matter what the circumstances are. I don’t really think for him the basketball decision is ‘Oh let me go team up with three All-Stars.’ For him, at this point in his life, it’s more so a lifestyle thing. (He can ask himself) ‘Where is my family going to be the most comfortable at? Where am I going to be the happiest at?’ Because basketball-wise he’s so great that he can bring along and take along whoever.”
.@DwyaneWade thinks LeBron's offseason decision will be about more than just basketball. pic.twitter.com/sqTQjiGxLx
— ESPN (@espn) June 11, 2018
Several NBA teams and players have already expressed interest in adding LeBron James to their team. Dwyane Wade’s current team, the Miami Heat, are reportedly on the list of James’ potential landing spots this offseason. Heat fans would surely love to see Wade and James in Miami next season. In four years of playing together, they made four consecutive trips to the NBA Finals and won two NBA titles.
However, as of now, the veteran shooting guard is still undecided regarding his NBA future, and some people believe he is already considering retirement. Wade admitted that, like other aging superstars, he’s already started losing his skills. If he considers playing one more season, Wade said that it would likely be in a Miami Heat uniform.
