Cavs trade Wade to Miami; LeBron says good-bye
The Cleveland Cavaliers traded guard Dwyane Wade to the Miami Heat on Thursday for a protected 2024 second-round pick.
Wade spent his first 13 NBA seasons with the Heat after being the fifth overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, and recently said that his goal was still to retire as a member of the team. He is the organization's all-time leader in numerous categories, including games played (855), points (20,221), assists (4,944) and steals (1,414).
After reaching a buyout with the Chicago Bulls last offseason, Wade considered the Heat among several potential destinations. He ultimately decided to reunite with LeBron James on a one-year deal with Cleveland, but has been part of a Cavs team that has struggled to find consistency this season. He is averaging 11.2 points, 3.9 rebounds and 23.2 minutes in 46 games in a reserve role.
James and Wade played together in Miami from 2010-14, winning a pair of NBA titles. They hoped to make another run together in Cleveland, but the Cavs are third in the Eastern Conference, seven games behind the Boston Celtics and only four games out of falling out of the playoff picture altogether.
Cleveland made a series of trades Thursday to reshape its roster, and James took to Instagram to say goodbye to his close friend.
"Truly happy for my brother @dwyanewade!!," James wrote. "It's how it's suppose to be. Love you my guy!! #WadeCountyBack"
Wade, who turned 36 on Jan. 17, acknowledged last week that he would be lying if he said he had not thought about closing out his career in a Heat jersey.
"When that opportunity comes, that day comes, hopefully, I can go out in a Miami Heat jersey," he said. "I don't know how it will be, but I would love it.
"For me, I'm at the point where you get this high up in years played in the NBA, you kind of take the summer to think about what you want as a player and go from there. For me, the arena that I walked in to play, I would like to leave in."
--Field Level Media
