LeBron laments Wade’s leaving
Cleveland star insists ex-teammate’s skills would have helped in Finals.
MIAMI — Dwyane Wade is in the middle of his offseason. He’s already traveled to France and attended the 2018 Monaco Grand Prix in Monte Carlo, Monaco since the Heat’s season ended in the first round of the playoffs on April 24.
But LeBron James would prefer if Wade was still in Cleveland preparing for Friday’s Game 4 of the NBA Finals.
“Oh, absolutely,” James said to reporters Thursday when asked if he wishes the Cavaliers still had Wade, with Golden State leading the championship series 3-0. “I mean, listen, not only from a brotherhood aspect and what we know about one another, and also from an experience factor.
“I believe that he would have been very, very good for us in the postseason. He’s a guy that’s kind
on 44.3 percent shooting, 4.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists in five playoff games with the Heat, which included of built for the postseason at a 28-point performance to this point in his career, who lead Miami to its only win lives for the moment . ... It of the postseason. Based on seems so long ago that he those numbers and Wade’s was even a part of this ball playoff reputation, he probaclub, but definitely think bly could have helped James about it from time to time.” and the Cavaliers.
Instead, James is dependRegion tuned i nto ing on a supporting cast that Finals: The Heat haven’t features little star power. been in the NBA Finals since Aside from Kevin Love and 2014, but that doesn’t mean James, the rest of Cleveland’s South Florida has stopped players have combined to watching the championship make one All-Star game series. appearance — Kyle Korver The television ratings in 2014-15. through the first three games
Wade was part of the Cavof this year’s NBA Finals conaliers at the start of the seatinue a positive trend for son. He averaged 11.2 points basketball locally. Accordand 3.5 assists in 46 games ing to Nielsen, the televibefore he was traded to the sion ratings for Sunday’s Heat on Feb. 8 as part of the Game 2 in the Miami marCavaliers’ flurry of deadline ket ranked sixth with a 15.8 deals to reshape James’ suprating behind just San Franporting cast. cisco, Cleveland, Memphis,
The massive team makeColumbus and Sacramento over saw the Cavaliers trade — four of those five markets away Isaiah Thomas, Chan- have an obvious tie to the ning Frye, Derrick Rose, Jae Finals between Golden State Crowder, Iman Shumpert and Cleveland as cities in and Wade to acquire Joreither California or Ohio. dan Clarkson, Larry Nance Miami ranked 11th for Jr., George Hill and Rodney Wednesday’s Game 3 with Hood. a 14.3 rating and 19th for
Hill is averaging 9.0 points Game 1 with a 12.3 rating. on 37.5 percent shooting The West Palm Beach marin the Finals, Hood’s play- ket ranked 23rd for Game 1 ing time has been sporadic with a 11.0 rating, 24th for in the playoffs, and Nance Game 2 with a 12.0 rating and Clarkson are each playand 24th for Game 3 with a ing limited roles against the 12.4 rating.
Warriors.
Wade averaged 16.6 points