3 Reasons why Dwyane Wade should never have played for Cleveland Cavaliers with LeBron James
During their tenure together for the Miami Heat, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade were a fearsome scoring duo, boosted by the presence of impressive big man Chris Bosh.
The 'Heatles' ended up winning two championships together before LeBron James opted to return home to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
However, Wade didn't sit idly by as his best friend continued to contend for trophies. Instead, he found himself moving to Cleveland in an attempt to add another ring to his collection alongside one of the greatest players ever to grace the hardwood.
Here are three reasons why Dwyane Wade should never have teamed up with LeBron James in Cleveland.
#1, It was the beginning of the end
In 2016, 36-year-old Wade joined the Chicago Bulls, where he played in 60 regular-season games, starting 50 of them. Despite his advancing years, Wade was still producing at a reasonably high level for the Bulls, especially inside the perimeter.
However, after making the move to Cleveland, Wade found himself coming off the bench, making just three starts in 46 appearances. For a player that had been a starter throughout his career, adapting to a supplementary role proved difficult. Nevertheless, Dwyane Wade finished his time with Cleveland averaging 11.2 points on 45.5% shooting from the field during his ill-fated spell with the Cavaliers.
#2, The fit wasn't right
It only took half a season before Dwyane Wade decided to call time on his tenure with the Cavaliers as he headed back to South Beach to finish out the final months of his NBA career.
LeBron James might have been in Cleveland, but the roster was constructed in a totally different way to that of the 'Heatles,' with more onus on perimeter scoring for the guards on the roster.
As such, Wade's fit didn't make much sense, and both sides knew the partnership wasn't going to work.
#3, Dwyane Wade overshadowed his 2005 championship
By teaming back up with LeBron James, Wade gave the appearance of a veteran who thought he needed to team up with his friend to win a championship. In truth, Wade won a ring before he ever shared the court with LeBron.
Wade's first championship came in 2006 when he was in his third NBA season and was a core piece on a contending Heat team that didn't feature the best player in the world.
NBA fandom is fickle, and Wade's decision to follow LeBron to Cleveland could have damaged his legacy with fans around the league.