Miami Heat: The time is right for a Dwyane Wade reunion

With the Miami Heat inching towards the third spot in the Eastern Conference, rejoining with Dwyane Wade could be a step in the right direction.

The Miami Heat are on a roll.

After their seven-game winning streak was toppled by the sometimes good, often bad Chicago Bulls, the Heat’s victory over the Milwaukee Bucks nudged them closer to third place in the Eastern Conference.

Just a half game behind the Cleveland Cavaliers, Heat Nation is preparing itself for a potential playoff run, after last year’s tie breaker let the Bulls slip into the eighth seed.

With trade rumors and injuries aplenty in Miami however, the question of the team’s playoff chances is interrupted by whether all of the current roster will still call South Beach home come April. While it’s anyone’s guess whether president Pat Riley or general manager Andy Elisburg choose to deal one of Miami’s current players, one name in particular has sparked debate over a reunion.

Yep, you guessed it – Dwyane Wade.

Having donned two different shades of red since leaving Miami in the summer of 2016, the guard from Marquette has dropped hints at his good relationship with the Heat. Over the last two years, Wade has taken to Twitter to espouse his love for the Heat, even after the tumultuous talks that kept Riley from resigning Wade in 2016.

Following Miami’s disheartening loss to the Cavaliers in November, Wade shouted out his former team, as well as his pal Udonis Haslem, with whom he swapped jerseys after the game.

A couple months later, Wade made sure to congratulate his former backcourt partner Goran Dragic for his stellar play and All-Star potential, after securing Eastern Conference Player of the Week.

Something of a two-way street, Dragic has also kept Wade in mind, wishing him a happy birthday.

Every good story needs a happy ending, and with rumblings of discontent in Cleveland, the time is right for a Heat-Wade reunion. Once critical of Wade’s age and ability to contribute at this stage of his career, the adaptability he’s shown for in Cleveland, would be relished in Miami.

When Wade’s role in the starting lineup failed to take off this season in Cleveland, he chose to come off the bench. Becoming a facilitator and ball handler in the second unit, Wade has given the Cavaliers more depth, to a bench once captained by Jose Calderon at point.

Considering the amount of injuries Miami has sustained thus far, Wade’s flexibility would be another tool for the playoff chasing Heat. Ranked 27 in the league in PACE, Wade’s preference for the halfcourt set, mirrors well with this iteration of the Miami Heat, which favors drive and kick opportunities for shots, over transition buckets.

Additionally, with Dion Waiters out and uncertainty around Rodney McGruder’s ability to jump into the Heat’s rotation, Wade’s presence would give Miami a cushion at the two-guard spot, on the rare nights that neither Wayne Ellington, Tyler Johnson or Josh Richardson can make magic happen.

Assuming he signs for the veteran minimum, Miami wouldn’t have to do much salary shuffling to make Wade fit. Dropping AJ Hammons’ $1.3 million at the end of the season, who has yet to see court time in a Miami uniform, and excusing Jordan Mickey’s similar sized deal, would be enough to reacquire Wade; whose locker room presence and court craftiness would be enough to outweigh Hammons’ and Mickey’s contributions.

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Of course, all of this is if Wade really wants to wear a Miami uniform again, before the end of his career. Regardless of Wade’s plans for the twilight of his NBA legacy, he should know the neon lights of South Beach are always on for No. 3.