Report: Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers ‘appealing’ destinations for Dwyane Wade
By Wes Goldberg
If Dwyane Wade is bought out, a return to the Miami Heat could be in the cards. Or he could go West and sign up with the Los Angeles Lakers.
The NBA’s worst-kept secret may be that the Chicago Bulls intend to buy out Dwyane Wade. Multiple reports have indicated that a buyout agreement is not a question of if, but when, and for how much.
A buy out would put Wade on the open market, a free agent free to negotiate and sign anywhere. There’s been speculation that Wade would be interested in joining his friend and former teammate LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, with ESPN recently reporting that LeBron expects that to be the case.
However, the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson–who is as keyed in on Wade as anyone–reports that the Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers are appealing destinations.
"The person who mentioned Miami and L.A. to me was the same person who first alerted me to my scoop a few years ago that Wade’s negotiations with the Heat were not going well – the first time that information ever surfaced (and a year later, the sides divorced)."
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Former teammate Udonis Haslem recently said that he’s talked to Wade about finishing their careers together in Miami, though no decision’s been made if that will happen.
When Wade left Miami last summer to sign with the Chicago Bulls, the organization put out a statement that they’d welcome him back, saying “the key is under the mat.” However, a lot has changed in that short time. Miami has seemingly found their backcourt of the future with Goran Dragic and Dion Waiters meshing, and the team doesn’t have cap room to spend outside of being able to offer the veteran minimum.
Pat Riley still has the $4.3 million cap exception at his disposal, which he’s indicated he will save for if/when the right player becomes available. Is Wade the right player? Or does he still need some time away from Miami? We’ll have to wait and see.