Dwyane Wade (David Liam Kyle/Getty Images)The Cleveland Cavaliers are trading guard Dwyane Wade to the Miami Heat in exchange for a heavily protected second-round pick according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Following from Adrian Wojnarowski,
Cleveland is trading Dwyane Wade to Miami, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 8, 2018
As Cleveland remade its roster with young, athletic wing players, organization gave him a chance to return home to Miami and worked out a deal to send him back to the Heat, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 8, 2018
Miami will send a heavily protected second-round pick to Cleveland for Wade, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 8, 2018
The Cavaliers spent the trade deadline restructuring the roster to give the team a chance to better compete after the All-Star break. Copious reports suggested the situation within the Cleveland organization had turned sour, leaving an air of doubt as to whether things could ever be repaired.
In a surprising move, Cavs general manager Koby Altman struck a deal with the Heat to send Wade home to the county he helped build. Wade’s role in Miami is unknown at the moment, but to have the 3-time NBA champion back into the fold is a big deal.
Wade signed with the Cavaliers following a buy-out after his one-year stint with the Chicago Bulls. The 36-year-old left the Heat in 2016 after contract negotiations became contentious between him and Pat Riley. After spending his entire career with the Heat organization, Wade has played for two different teams in as many years.
According to Ramona Shelbourne, Altman went to LeBron James before the deal to inform of the possible trade, and that the decision was ultimately up to Wade.
Following from ESPN,
I’m told by a Cavs source that GM Koby Altman went to LeBron James before they traded Dwyane Wade to make sure he understood what was behind the move. Altman told James that the decision would be up to Wade and James thought that was fair. Cavs felt it was important to make sure James understood since Wade is his best friend.
In his last year in Miami, Wade averaged 19 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 4.6 assists. The Heat faced the Charlotte Hornets in the first round of playoffs in 2016, winning a rousing 7-game series. The Heat fell to the Toronto Raptors in the semi-finals in seven games.
