Dec 10, 2018; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade (3) and Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) embrace after the game at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 10, 2018; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade (3) and Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) embrace after the game at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Dwyane Wade decided to welcome superstar teammates to Miami in 2010 at personal cost. In 2023, Wade explained how giving up the millions of dollars left a scar that still impacts his perspective.
Appearing on episode 84 of the Club Shay Shay podcast, Wade revealed how hard it was to adjust his mindset. "Part of me was a little p*****. I’m human, I don’t want to lose the best player in the game," he said.
“Now I gotta figure out my future, because I've given up a lot of my startup, and I've given up my place for you to step in and help lead us,” Wade told Shanon Sharpe.
"Money don't come back, people. You can make more, but you ain't getting that money back, you can’t recruit that money," Wade said on the podcast about giving up $20 million to get LeBron James and Chris Bosh to join him on the Miami Heat.
Feb 15, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; 2014 Eastern Conference All-Stars forward LeBron James (Heat) (6) and guard Dwyane Wade (Heat) (3) react during the practice session at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 15, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; 2014 Eastern Conference All-Stars forward LeBron James (Heat) (6) and guard Dwyane Wade (Heat) (3) react during the practice session at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
By that point in his career, Wade was already the face of the Miami franchise and had brought the city its first NBA championship in 2006.
He took a bigger financial hit than his teammates just to make sure management had enough to keep veteran forward Udonis Haslem on the roster.
To fit three superstars under the NBA salary cap, Wade had to cut down his starting salary. Now, as a co-owner of the Utah Jazz, he has a deeper understanding of player contracts and team budgets.
While he wanted to win more than anything else at the time, his current business mindset showed him the true cost of those choices.
This salary cut also raised the question of whether the run that followed was worth the $20 million for Wade.
Two Championships Earned but with a Fixed Price Tag
The partnership resulted in 4 straight NBA Finals appearances between 2011 and 2014. After a loss to the Dallas Mavericks in 2011, the group bounced back to win consecutive titles in 2012 and 2013.
The monetary sacrifice changed Dwyane Wade's identity as a franchise leader. Wade explained how he had to step back so another superstar could take over. He gave up his majority stake as the primary star so James could lead the roster.
Wade adjusted his game to act as the co-star while James earned the Finals MVP award. During the 2012 championship run, Wade averaged 22.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game.
He followed that up in the 2013 series against the Spurs by averaging 19.6 points per game. He proved he could still perform at an elite level, even after giving up his spot as the main option.
The era ended when James chose to return to Cleveland in 2014. Share your thoughts on whether Wade's decision was worth 2 more championships or not.
Read more at Air Jordan Chronicles!
Written by
Utsav Sinha
Edited by
Sagnik Bagchi