Wade-James reunion could be in the cards

Dwyane Wade could join LeBron James at the Cleveland Cavaliers this coming NBA season in a reunion of their championship combination at the Miami Heat.

That’s according to Cleveland.com reporter Joe Vardon, a respected source on the Cavaliers.

Speaking on a Tuesday podcast, Vardon said Wade might be leaving the Chicago Bulls to rejoin LeBron with the Cavs.

“As of right now, people close to James are fairly confident that, at some point this season, Dwyane Wade is going to end up on the Cavs,” Vardon said.

Vardon also alluded to the strength of his sources, stating that reports claiming information “close to James” should only include five people: LeBron himself, agent Rich Paul, business manager Maverick Carter, wife Savanah James and PR advisor Adam Mendelsohn.

Vardon’s declaration followed an ESPN report suggesting that a Wade buyout at the Bulls could still be a possibility, with a “widespread belief within the organization ... that a deal that would allow Wade to play elsewhere will eventually get worked out at some point during the season.”

Another suggestive piece of information was unearthed by Chicago radio reporter Andy Slater, who on Monday tweeted: “I can officially confirm that Dwyane Wade’s kids are back at school in S. Florida, no longer in Chicago.” Wade has long been touted for a reunion with LeBron, meaning this could be just another episode of speculation, though it is believed the veteran star (now 35) is unlikely to want to remain with the rebuilding Bulls for the final year of his contract.

Yet NBC’s Dan Feldman spelled out the difficulties of the situation:

“Though they could buy him out sooner, the Bulls are incentivized to keep Wade past the trade deadline. His $23.8 million expiring contract could prove useful in a trade,” said Feldman.

“If no trade comes up and Chicago is out of the playoff race, as expected, a buyout would make far more sense.

“Now, eliminating that trade chip and sticking a large amount of dead salary on the books would be problematic for the Bulls — unless Wade cuts them a big discount. He doesn’t sound inclined to do that.”

Wade is well past his prime but could still be a useful contributor to the Cavs as the brace for the stunning exit of superstar point guard Kyrie Irving, who was traded to the Boston Celtics on Tuesday.

In his podcast, Vardon also said serious questions are also being asked about James’ future, while veteran NBA reporter Chris Sheridan reported that LeBron “is 100 per cent leaving” the Cavaliers — a report that Vardon refuted.