Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Wade to mull his future
Guard enjoyed Heat reunion, can picture returning
MIAMI — This isn’t quite a 2016 redux. But there are enough similarities in play when it comes to another Dwyane Wade return to the Miami Heat.
When the future Hall-of-Fame guard closed the curtain on his 2017-18 season, he spoke in the wake of the playoff loss to the Philadelphia 76ers of holding off on a decision of whether there would be a 16th NBA season.
“I’ll sit back and think about that,” he said.
But there also are Heat considerations at work, just as there were during the 2016 offseason, when Wade, after his first 13 NBA seasons with the Heat, instead wound up moving on to his hometown Chicago Bulls in free agency, with an ensuing half season with the Cleveland Cavaliers before his Heat reunion at the Feb. 8 NBA trading deadline.
In 2016, the spending priority was on what would turn into the four-year, $98 million contract for Hassan Whiteside. The freeagency priority was the failed pursuit of Kevin Durant. And the inhouse priority was retaining Tyler Johnson.
This time, there is no emerging prime free agent to retain nor any cap space to spend. But there is the eventual return of Dion Waiters from his season-ending January ankle surgery, the need to somehow find value in a Johnson contract that will pay $19.2 million next season, youth still to be explored with Josh Richardson, Justise Winslow and Rodney McGruder.
To coach Erik Spoelstra, there is a clear avenue to a return: the role Wade embraced over the final months of the season, as the anchor/ mentor to the second unit.
“He can play this role forever,” Spoelstra said. “I don’t know if he will choose to do that. But also, again, it speaks to his character and his humility that he would be willing to take on a role like this.”
Spoelstra said Wade as a reserve still has legs, if Wade, who turns 37 in January, still has the legs for it.
“There’s probably not a lot of Hallof-Fame players his age or who still have his ability to have those moments that would still be willing to do that,” he said.
Wade believes there is something worth returning to and returning for.
“I was like a kid my whole time back, just happy and thrilled to be back and be around these individuals on my team and getting the chance to be in the trenches with them,” he said. “I know last year, the way that they played in the second half of the season and weren’t able to make it to the playoffs and how that hurt. To be here, to be back, to be a part of that, to be a part of leading not only by voice but leading by example, laying it all out on the line with these guys, I felt good about that.
“I felt good about the Miami Heat whole organization and its future and the kind of players and the kind of people that are in that locker room and in the organization. I was thankful that I could come back and be a part of that.” The embrace was mutual. “It was awesome, a great story,” Richardson said.
“I can’t thank him enough for coming back and helping us young guys and the team play better,” Winslow said. “I’m grateful for him. I love that guy to death.”
The door remains open, because after 2016, it can’t be closed this summer by Pat Riley, Micky Arison, Nick Arison or anyone not named Dwyane Wade.
“I’ll sit back and think about that,” he said, able to take as long as needed as long as there is no desire for anything beyond the veteran minimum of $2.5 million for 2018-19. “Then, I’ll dive and throw myself into my family. They’re next on my bucket list of making sure I’m there for them. Then when it comes to the basketball side of it, which is a long time away from now, then I’ll think about that.”
Wade becomes a free agent July 1, unable to sign or negotiate with any team prior.
Spoelstra agreed it is a decision best left for another day.
“I don’t even want to go there,” Spoelstra said.