At a crossroads like no other
Dwyane Wade’s role with Cavs will be challenging
MIAMI
— The final chapter for an NBA star often is the most difficult to craft.
There are those who go out taking every last shot (Kobe Bryant), those who fade away at the ends of benches (Mitch Richmond).
And now there is Dwyane Wade, in his third uniform in as many seasons, and in his second role in as many weeks.
It is, of course, premature to make judgments on teams or players at this stage of a season, even as Wade has gone from starter to reserve to injury respite with the Cleveland Cavaliers. October rarely has been meaningful to Wade over the past decade, even when the seasons were meaningful.
It takes a unique player and persona to adjust to the twilight. Ray Allen and Shane Battier were able to find that balance as they ended their careers with the Heat. For Amar’e Stoudemire, it proved far more taxing and disappointing.
It also is surprising that someone like LeBron James, who considers every aspect of every move, both as player and de facto team executive, signed off from his basketball-savant perspective.
Friendship can blind, and that ESPN interview with James and Wade showed the depth of the relationship between the former Heat teammates.
But by the first week of the regular season it was like a child inviting a friend over for a sleepover and then wondering during the course of the night exactly what he was thinking.
It sure seemed like a good idea.
The notion of bringing in a late-career star is nothing new and, in fact, has been perfected by the San Antonio Spurs, as evidenced by success with Kevin Willis, Steve Smith, Glenn Robinson,
Michael Finley and Steve Kerr. None, of course, were of the career pedigree of Wade.
The difference is that those additions were made purely from a basketball perspective, not based on personal relationships. And each of those Spurs moves were made by players at a stage where they were willing to defer.
To his credit, Wade relinquished his starting role in favor of a bench assignment. Then again, the move likely merely preempted the inevitable, with Isaiah Thomas expected to return at midseason, and to return with the hunger of a player in search of a career free-agent contract.
Playing off the ball with LeBron is one thing. Playing off-off the ball with both James and Thomas is another. Soon enough that will be Kevin Love’s renewed challenge, as it was amid Kyrie-LeBron.
Beyond that, there was the twist of the Cavaliers being mentioned among potential suitors for Eric Bledsoe, who happens to be represented by LeBron confidant Rich Paul.
With Thomas and Bledsoe in the mix, who knows where it would have stood with Wade (or, in such a permutation, whether Wade still would have stood with the Cavaliers). The fact that the Cavaliers’ front office even was sniffing around is telling.
Like Kobe during his latter stages, Wade seemingly still is capable of magical moments. And there undoubtedly will be the opportunity for such moments prior to Thomas’ return.
But that’s when the reality will hit home. Even last season with the Chicago Bulls, Wade stood as no worse than a No. 2 option behind Jimmy Butler. The first week of this season, he was no better than No. 3 behind LeBron and Love. And Thomas is on the way.
The decision is coming, to be like Willis, Smith, Robinson, Finley and Kerr were with the Spurs.
Or to still dare to dominate.
This latest challenge for Wade ultimately could be even more trying than indulging the rookie travails of Michael Beasley with the Heat or enduring the mess that was the Chicago Bulls last season, even if too early to consider it a mistake by the lake.