In the midst of a monopoly of free agent/trade rumors in the NBA, a lot of eyebrows have been raised this past week alone. Kevin Durant parted ways with All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook in OKC and joined the powerhouse roster of the Golden State Warriors instead. Derrick Rose is now unpacking his suitcase in the Big Apple, while Dwight Howard is doing the same in Atlanta. With a lot of All Star players joining forces in the both the past and present, NBA fans from Miami to Cleveland are waiting to hear what Dwyane Wade has in mind for this upcoming season.
With a roster full of young talent such as Justice Winslow, Tyler Johnson and defensive anchor Hassan Whiteside (just to name a few), it seems as if D-Wade and his Miami franchise were ready to make a run in the playoffs. With “Steve Nash‘s protege” Goran Dragic next to him in the back court, and the recent acquisition of veteran guard Joe Johnson, both Miami players and fans were eager to see how the 2016 postseason would conclude. After breezing through the Charlotte Hornets, Wade’s Heat began to dimmer out as they would eventually fall short in the second round to the Toronto Raptors.
Many NBA veterans are bouncing from franchise to franchise in search of that last chance at a ring (for example: David West joining the Warriors). With that being said however, most of these veterans are not best friends with LeBron; arguably the best player in the NBA. Since draft day in 2003, Wade has stuck by the city of Miami, much like Dirk Nowitzki in Dallas and Tim Duncan in San Antonio. Much like them, Wade has taken significant pay cuts in past years in order to acquire superstars such as Chris Bosh, Lebron, and the fresh young talent pouring into the league each and every year. However, after watching LeBron win a title in Cleveland, does this mean the two will join forces again?
After declining Miami’s two year deal worth $40 million, Wade then canceled his scheduled meetings with the Milwaukee Bucks, and the status of whether or not he will show up in Denver is still pending. After declining Miami’s offer and canceling his meeting in Milwaukee, it seems as if “The Flash” has some options. He can re-unite with his once teammate LeBron James, he could start fresh in a new city such as Denver, he could continue to rebuild with Pat Riley in South Beach, or he could surprise the world and take his talents to anywhere in the league. Although he wasn’t content with the Heat’s deal worth $20 million a year, maybe he will settle for less if this new franchise has a roster that’s a little more glamorous than the Miami Heat’s. It will be interesting to see where #3 will go. For all of the Miami fans out there, is it time for D-Wade to do his all to bring one last ring back to the MIA? Or is the franchise in need of some new firepower, or in other words a fresh start?
