The Miami Heat speak on former face of their franchise Dwyane Wade, as he has just been ruled out with a season-ending injury.
Dwyane Wade’s return to the midwest has not exactly been a homecoming for the ages.
Despite the superstar averaging 18.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists a game this year, the Chicago Bulls have struggled. At 32-36, the team has fallen to tenth in the Eastern Conference. The likelihood of making the playoffs, falling by the day.
And unfortunately, things have just gotten worse for the former member of the Miami Heat.
Following a loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night, during which his arm got tangled up with Zach Randolph, Wade said he heard something pop in his elbow. A pop that a MRI Thursday morning, confirmed was a sprain and small fracture. Resulting in the 35-year-old being ruled out for the remainder of the season.
"“It wasn’t the worst-case scenario,” Wade said. “Not a good scenario. But kind of what I thought. I told them that I heard a ‘pop, pop,’ and I kind of said that [Wednesday night], and it was pretty much a dislocation at the time, and it went back in, so kind of dealing with the aftermath of what that looks like. This is what it looks like.”"
Although Wade has been ruled out for at least two weeks, there is a good chance that he would be able to participate in the postseason. Should the Bulls make it, that is.
"“I’ll probably have to wear this [cast] for two weeks, but I have to take it off to do my rehab and stuff. Doc really wants me to make sure that it heals right, so I think this [cast] will be about a two-weeker, but I go back in a week, get another X-ray, see how everything is healing and go from there.”“It sucks. It’s unfortunate. It’s not the way I would have written it, but it is what it is. I’ll just move past it, I’ll get better. No surgery. That’s one thing that I’m happy about. And I’ll just rehab it, get back on the court hopefully at the end of this year or [to start] next year.”"
While the Heat are hoping Chicago gets knocked out of playoff contention to make room for themselves, the organization is still saddened by hearing of Wade’s injury.
"“It’s heartbreaking,” head coach Erik Spoelstra said. “I don’t even know what to say. Even as competitors and we’re battling right now [for playoff position with Chicago] you want to see everybody out there right now. You don’t want to see anybody get hurt. I know what this game means to Dwyane. I’m going to each out to him. I hope I’m hearing the news wrong.”"
And he is not alone in that sentiment. Udonis Haslem also spoke on his friend of over a decade.
"“It sucks no matter what his age is. It sucks because they’re in the middle of a playoff run, as well. Me knowing Dwyane, he’s going to get to work. He’s going to do what he has to do to bounce back.”"
Goran Dragic too hates to hear of his former teammate getting hurt.
"“It sucks. I saw the Bulls highlights [last night] and saw that he got injured and I texted him. He had texted me two days before about my eye. If you’ve been in this organization with the Miami Heat then you know you’re brothers.”"
Wade may no longer reside in Miami, but one thing is for sure: he will forever be a Heat lifer.
With only 14 games left in the season, the Heat are currently one game ahead of the Bulls. And despite doing their best to keep outplaying Chicago, it is clear the team wishes Wade was able to be a part of the battle.