UPDATE:
Key members of the Bulls and Bucks are reportedly reaching out to Wade.
Jimmy Butler and Rajon Rondo have been recruiting Dwyane Wade to Chicago, according to sources close to situation.
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) July 6, 2016
Milwaukee's Khris Middleton and Jason Kidd have also been recruiting Dwyane Wade. The Bucks' brass will meet with Wade today.
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) July 6, 2016
As for the Heat? Not so much.
So far no word from Heat or any player stepping forward on behalf of team to do so with Wade. https://t.co/RGm5cdWfFp
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) July 6, 2016
Previously:
Once again, the Miami Heat and Dwyane Wade are doing the tense dance wherein Wade asks to be paid a salary commensurate with the signature star that he is, while the Heat ask him to take less money for the purpose of building a better team around him. Both sides are well within their rights to do business this way, but the process is clearly wearing thin on Wade, as he makes louder and louder overtures about signing with a new team for the first time in his career.
It’s now come to this: Dwyane is meeting with several teams, conspicuously leaving out the Heat.
Sources on @TheVertical: Beyond Denver meeting for Dwyane Wade in New York today: Milwaukee, Chicago meetings set. Miami possible too now.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 6, 2016
Sources on @TheVertical: So far, closest Wade has to a third-year on deal: Chicago w/ a partial guarantee. Denver, Miami offering two years.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 6, 2016
Perhaps only this stands between Dwyane Wade and his Miami Heat departure: Possible one-on-one meeting with owner Micky Arison today.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 6, 2016
For now, there's still no Miami Heat meeting set for Wade today, league sources tell @TheVertical. Still a fluid conversation.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 6, 2016
Furthermore, the Cavaliers are reportedly trying to work their way into the Wade sweepstakes, but to do so would require either Wade taking far less money than with other teams (which runs counter to his whole reason for looking around) or the Cavs seriously blowing up their roster. Seemingly the only selling points they have are a reunion with LeBron James and the hardware Cleveland just won.
Through all of this, we have to believe the most likely scenario here is that Wade re-signs in Miami. His public shopping around has successfully brought the Heat up to offering $20 million per year, and it would be a shock to see him head to the developing Nuggets, Bucks or Bulls for an extra $5 million. The potential monkey wrench is a guaranteed third year, which is reportedly what Wade has his heart set on the most. If he can finagle that out of a non-Miami team, all bets are off. Kevin Durant proved that anything can happen this offseason, but until the ink is dry on a contract taking D-Wade out of Miami, the odds are still on him staying.
(Via Akron Beacon-Journal)
