J.R. Smith and Dwyane Wade were only teammates for a short time, but it’s clear that the two formed a good relationship in that time. Wade left the Cavaliers at the trade deadline in February in one of the more intriguing trades in recent memory.
Wade signed with the Cavs to much fanfare after an exit from the Chicago Bulls, who were going through a major transition in a summer where they also traded away Jimmy Butler. Wade reuniting with LeBron James, who he won two titles with in Miami, made the Cavaliers an solidly veteran team that needed to find a common thread in a hurry.
But the Cavs struggled to do that during much of the season, and when Wade was traded at a deadline where most of the team’s roster was turned over, many wondered what exactly was the issue in Cleveland with Wade and the rest of the Cavs? The answer, everyone insisted, was nothing: Wade just wanted to go home to Miami, where he helped the Heat make the playoffs and give the Sixers a strong test in the first round.
Since we’re not in the locker room when players interact, fans and media members often look at the social media ongoings of players to see how they feel about others in the NBA. And one notable trend, despite all the weirdness from the Cavaliers last season, is that everyone has been largely positive on social media. Isaiah Thomas, also jettisoned at the deadline, still likes posts from J.R. Smith and vice versa. And the same goes with the to and Wade.
That’s why it’s no surprise that Smith was overjoyed when Wade announced that he’d return for a 16th season in the NBA on Sunday night. Wade dropped a nearly 10-minute video explaining his though process for his “One Last Dance” and effectively announced that he’d retire at the end of one more season with the Heat.
Later that night, Smith reposted the same photo Wade used to make his announcement with a personal note for Wade, saying that the “game needs you” and thanking him for giving fans one last season to appreciate his talents.
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Smith specifically called out media members that have tried to pit the two against one another, from when there was talk about the two battling over playing time or after the trade sent him out of town. And Wade responded to the post later in the night, thanking Smith for the kind words and agreeing that the two are cool.
“The media will always try to turn us against each other,” Wade said. Thanks for the love bro.”
Wade also joked that though he won’t always be on the course, Smith could “probably always have me on the course,” which is fun because Smith is an avid golfer and that’s something retired people love to do.
It was a really nice moment overall, and it’s nice to get excited about players showing genuine appreciation for one another. Sometimes being friends is more important than being teammates.
