Why I Am Concerned About Letting D Wade Go
Ever since LeBron came back to Cleveland, there were always rumblings of Dwyane Wade joining him here. Finally, after being bought out by the Chicago Bulls this past offseason, the Cavaliers were able to sign him for the season (veteran min). I was very excited to get the savvy veteran here in Cleveland and liked the fact that he was paired with LeBron again.
Wade, off the bench (per his request), averaged 11.5 points a night, 3.5 assists and 3.9 rebounds. Obviously, his numbers are nothing to write home about. He’s on the back-nine of his great career.
On Thursday, the Cavs basically gave the option for Wade to go back to Miami for nothing (a pick that went to Sac) and he took it.
Honestly, there is just this calming presence with D Wade. He is always collected even in the toughest of situations and that’s how he won three championships with the Heat. If I wasn’t a Cavs fan, I would appreciate the homecoming story. But I have my concerns and here they are:
This Cavs roster has flipped in dynamic. It went from old and sluggish to young and youthful. There are a lot of guys who have never been challenged in the postseason before and they are going to have to go through it this April-June. It would be nice to have D Wade as an option off the bench. A guy who has been there before and still has some of his abilities remaining.
Cavs fans point to youngster Cedi Osman and demand for him to get minutes. I like Cedi. I like him a lot. But is he ready to perform in the later playoff rounds or finals? I’m not so sure.
Well, he will get his minutes now that Wade is gone.
I also understand that the Cavs didn’t want to have Wade sit on the bench behind Jordan Clarkson and Cedi. Honestly, my answer to that is “too bad.” Wade signed a contract to play with the Cavs for the entire season and that is what should have been honored. Injuries do occur and there definitely would’ve still been a place for him.
Another concern I have is that the Heat are actually a playoff team and there’s a chance that D Wade may play against the Cavs as a member of Miami. The Heat are the seven seed and the Cavs are at the three. They are not lined up currently, but who knows? I do not want to face D Wade in the playoffs, no matter the round. I know he will ball out against his buddy LeBron.
Adding all of this youth, D Wade finally had the chance to be a veteran presence on a team that needed it! Before, the Cavs had just a bunch of slow and old guys. Now, that’s different. Wade could’ve served as a mentor beyond the actual games. From the practice floor to learning how to handle big-time situations, he would’ve helped the younger guys.
To the average fan, Wade retiring in Miami as a member of the Heat is cute. But he signed with the Cavs and I wish he had finished out the season here and helped the team win a title.
Final note: This wasn’t a roster spot issue. The Cavs have open spots that need to be filled.
Image: ESPN
