Who is to blame for Dwyane Wade leaving the Miami Heat?

LeBron James

Not because he talked him into the facetiously endearing gesture of “going home,” but because LeBron James left in the first place. When LeBron left, the championship window closed in Miami. You knew it, I knew it, we just didn’t want to admit it. Hell, I’m sure even Wade knew it.

LeBron’s exit pushed Wade through the door to the twilights of his career. Instead of a gentle winding down though, Wade got into shape and played one of the best seasons of the back half of his career last season. However, even that wasn’t enough to get past a struggling Raptors team in the playoff’s second round.

If LeBron had stayed, the Heat would have continued to run it back over and over. Even with Chris Bosh’s health issues, LeBron covers for so many weaknesses the Heat still would have been the favorite in the East and Wade would have been happy to take less money to facilitate the best player and his best friend in the league.

But LeBron, the magic hair dye, left and the Heat’s grey hairs started to show. Pat Riley wasn’t content to run it back with D-Wade and forced him out of Miami with a low-ball deal and a lack of respect. LeBron’s departure started to slow but sure march to a new era of Heat basketball. Only now, for the first time in 13 years, Wade won’t be a part of it. – Wes Goldberg