The Dwyane Wade era in Miami is officially over as the veteran guard decided his immediate future is in his original hometown instead of the glamorous city that adopted him.
Different Heat fans are probably feeling different emotions in reaction to the news. Shock, anger, sadness and despair just to name a few.
The writing was on the wall though as the crack in the relationship between Wade and the organization grew to the size of a canyon.
Both sides could not come to an agreement on money, and money had been something Wade expected to receive after years of flexibility to allow the team to make moves that led the Heat to multiple championships.
ESPN's Brian Windhorst was reporting Wade sought a deal of two years for $50 million, but the Heat were negotiating a $40 million price tag.
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| Photo from huffingtonpost.com - Dwyane Wade (above center) will go down as the greatest Miami Heat player in team history to date, but how long will it take for Wade and the Heat to repair the damage done to the relationship? |
It is also conceivable that Wade felt cast aside when the Heat made Hassan Whiteside a priority over him. Whiteside was open about wanting a deal on the first day of free agency, and if Miami did not have one he would be looking elsewhere.
Team President Pat Riley typically wins in these games of free agency poker, but he called Whiteside's bet and lost the hand.
Seeing this, Wade should have felt less desired. He was the face of the franchise, and he brought three championships to an organization that had none before he arrived.
Wade wanted to finish his career in Miami, and he wanted to be the team's highest paid player.
But when one reviews the situation really close, this is quite possibly the best thing for so many pieces in this puzzle.
For Wade, it is a homecoming to his native Chicagoland. The fans will love his return, the local media (and perhaps the national media) will play up the narrative that he came home -- but not quite like LeBron James and Cleveland.
Wade's former teammates, Chris Bosh and Whiteside benefit because Bosh can be the centerpiece of a team for the first time since leaving Toronto (assuming his body cooperates). Whiteside will also get more opportunities on offense, and that could lead to a more engaged, focused Whiteside on both sides of the court.
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| Photo by si.com - Hassan Whiteside got paid this summer. With Wade headed to Chicago, Whiteside should expect more touches on offense. A happy Hassan could be a more productive Hassan. |
Bulls guard Jimmy Butler inherits a superstar veteran who can mentor him to become a consummate professional, and corporate sponsors love guys like that. Butler has not shown the desire to be a shill, but maybe Wade can teach the youngster to maximize his career earnings by showing some personality. Plus, Butler will not have to feel the pressure to score with help from Wade.
Miami Heat owner Micky Arison and Riley will not have to question whether it was wrong or right to overpay Wade (like the Lakers did with Kobe Bryant) for an aging star passed his prime. Instead, they can look to the future right now and begin the new blueprint for a championship contender.
The city of Miami may be in pain right now, yet it is better to enjoy the good times with Wade than risk his decline to be similar to Kobe's in Los Angeles -- a broken, old horse that should have been sent to the pastures before it was too late.
Bosh, Whiteside, Butler, Arison, Riley, Chicago and Miami should be happy with this; or at least ok.
Most importantly, Wade will get the love from his hometown, the money ($47 million) from a team that inspired his NBA dream and the satisfaction of finally stopping the Heat from taking advantage of his generosity.
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