Wade, LeBron joining forces? Heat star is for it

Free-agent-to-be wouldn't ‘have a problem sharing’ spotlight with James


Sergio Perez / Reuters

Dwyane Wade, left, and LeBron James celebrate after defeating helping the U.S. defeat Spain in the men's gold medal basketball game at the 2008 Beijing Games.

By Tim Reynolds
updated 7:07 p.m. ET, Sat., April 24, 2010

MIAMI - It’s been a fantasy scenario thrown around the NBA for months: Dwyane Wade and LeBron James as teammates.

Intriguing?

Absolutely — even to Wade.

Speaking after practice in Miami on Saturday, one day before the Heat try to extend their season by forcing a Game 5 of their Eastern Conference first-round series against Boston, Wade acknowledged that he’s got reason to think he and James would work alongside one another.

“We play well together,” Wade said.

Still, he stopped way short of saying the close friends have even talked about the notion of aligning this summer.

Both can become free agents on July 1, a date that looms large for superstars like Wade, James, Toronto’s Chris Bosh and just about every team in the NBA.

“Myself, LeBron, Chris, certain guys are in the driver’s seat to decide where they want to go,” Wade said. “You’re not thinking about it. You’re not worried about it. But I’m sure they hear it a lot.”

Bosh’s season is already over. Wade’s might end Sunday unless the Heat beat the Celtics, something they’ve done just once in the last 15 meetings between the teams. James — almost certain to win his second straight MVP — and the Cleveland Cavaliers would seem to be the favorites to win the NBA title, and he grew tired of the questions about the summer of 2010 long ago.

Wade gets asked about it all the time.

He has said repeatedly that his preference is to stay in Miami, and the Heat will be able to offer him more money than any other team, just as the Raptors will with Bosh and the Cavaliers with James.

But Wade also makes perfectly clear that he wants to Heat to use the salary cap space they’ll have this summer and build the type of team that could contend for what would be his second NBA championship.

And Heat president Pat Riley wants that probably as badly, if not even more so, than Wade does.

“You have to have guys that have the personality that look at it in a bigger picture,” Wade said. “You can’t have two guys or three guys, whatever you call it, that (all) want it to be, ’This is my show.’ You’ve got to want to share it and you’ve got to look at guys and say, ’Are these guys team players or individual players?’

“Myself and LeBron are team players. I think we’ve proven that. I don’t think you can say that about everybody.”

Wade’s approach with the Heat is similar to the one James has with the Cavaliers. Both are obviously dynamic scorers, and both are among the league’s best at setting up teammates for points as well — and in turn, that softens defenses so teams can’t constantly throw double-teams their way.

So would he share the spotlight with James, especially since both are used to being the absolute go-to guys on their respective teams?

Wade didn’t hesitate.

“I don’t have a problem sharing,” Wade said. “That’s what this summer’s about: Sharing. I’m going into the summer with the thoughts that I want to share next year. And whomever those players are, they know that would be my mentality.”

Dwyane Wade is biggest reason why LeBron James should play in Miami

By Israel Gutierrez
igutierrez@MiamiHerald.com

The question no longer begins with the word ``if'' but ``where.''

It no longer seems like a debate about whether LeBron James will leave Cleveland via free agency this summer, especially when he talks about his personal team's ``game plan'' and speaks of his relationship with Cavaliers fans in the past tense just minutes after his somewhat surprising ousting in the conference semifinals.

It's the question of where he will end up that has absolutely taken over sports conversations across the country.

Within that conversation, Miami as a LeDestination seems mostly like an afterthought, with the glamour of New York running in first, and Chicago a close second because of the quality of the roster.

Consider this, then, the ultimate case for James to make Miami his new basketball home. It makes far too much sense to simply be considered a secondary possibility.

Let's start with the obvious. The ability to play with Dwyane Wade every day and create, almost beyond argument, the best pairing of wing players the league has ever seen (don't bother with the Michael Jordan argument because Scottie Pippen is nowhere near the player either one of these two is) should be enough to make the Heat his primary option.

WHAT HE WANTS

If it is true that James is about winning first, as he insisted in his postgame, post-series, post-Cleveland interview Thursday, then this is an automatic. If his obvious frustration with Cavs teammates and their inability to function without him is a driving force for LeBron, then playing alongside Wade will offer him exactly what he desires.

When you consider that the Heat can sell a player like Michael Beasley to a team with salary-cap space to create enough space to sign a third substantial star, possibly a big man like an Amare Stoudemire or Carlos Boozer, then it only makes Miami more intriguing because of the real possibility a true dynasty can exist.

There are two arguments against Miami that tend to dominate, neither of them making much sense.

The first tends to be ego. As in, James' ego won't let him come to Wade's town and not be the obvious attraction.

It might be Wade's town, but in basketball terms, it's LeBron's world, as Kevin Garnett confirmed after Thursday's game. It has been for a half decade, practically, and sharing space with Wade can only help his global takeover because it'll finally offer him that championship that has escaped him.

No matter where he goes, James will not play second fiddle. Besides, it's practically necessary these days, when you think about it, to have a player of similarly superstar caliber by your side. Kobe Bryant had arguably the best post player in the league, at the time, helping him win each of his four titles, first Shaquille O'Neal and now Pau Gasol. No one does this alone.

The other argument against the Heat is the concept of James and Wade not being able to play well together.

More nonsense.

They play different positions. They have different games. They both can dominate with the ball in their hands, but they both enjoy playing off the ball as well.

Wade was the leading scorer on the Olympic team despite almost never being the primary ballhandler. James is a playmaker who can average double-figure assists with a teammate like Wade.

For both players, playing with this kind of talent alongside will be breath of fresh air, not any sort of conflict.

By the way, for those who remain concerned Wade could bolt Miami, check out a recent video posted on Twitter of him responding to his Heat fans online. Not the act of a man preparing to abandon ship.

RILEY COULD COACH

There also remains the very real possibility that Pat Riley could coach the duo if they team up, which would take the uncertainty of the coaching situation out of the equation. That uncertainty would be there if James chooses to stay in Cleveland, or if he chooses Chicago or New Jersey and their vacant coaching seats, or even if he chooses New York given Mike D'Antoni's incomplete track record and inability/unwillingness to coach defense.

It might be premature to consider LeBron a former Cavalier. It has, after all, only been hours since his season ended and his thoughts officially transferred to his future plans.

But it's never too early to plant the seed. He can't find a better teammate than he can here. Not Derrick Rose. Not Chris Bosh.

So when you ask ``where,'' Miami should be LePlace.

Wade

Ok. The Miami Heat officially started a campaign to keep Dwyane Wade.

He has been an amazing player and brought a lot of excitement to the city.

Also, he has shown interest in staying although he hasn't stated whether he is going to sign or not. He just says he is exploring his options.

Leave us your comments!!!!

We want to hear from you. What do you think?

Miami Heat creates website to help keep Dwyane Wade

May 13, 2010 | 10:48 am

Miami is putting the Heat on Dwyane Wade.

The organization has launched a website aimed at giving fans tips to persuade Wade, the 2006 NBA Finals MVP, to stay in Miami.

"We want to show Wade the love," the website says, "but we don't want to take that love too far (read: harass him) so, we've set up some tips of what to do, and what not to do, when you see Wade."

If a fan runs into Wade, say at a restaurant, the fan is encouraged to chant "we want Wade," start a slow clap and send a dessert to his table.

The fan, however, should not ask for an autograph, photo, date, money or one of his cars. Wade tattoos are also greatly frowned on, according to the website.

Wade, who is exercising his right to become a free agent, will be allowed to speak with other teams beginning July 1. He has said, though, that his preference is to remain in Miami.

Who could blame him?

-- Melissa Rohlin

Photo: Dwyane Wade. Credit: Tammie Arroyo / Associated Press

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