When Dwyane Wade had dinner with LeBron James and attended his high school camp in Las Vegas in the days leading up leading up to The King’s decision to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers, it spelled good things for the Miami Heat. The ensuing news that Wade was a guest on James’ charter flight from Vegas to South Florida was just another feather in the Heat’s free agency cap. But Wade’s time with James turned out to suggest nothing of LeBron’s intentions, a reality that hardly surprised him once the dust had settled.
Wade told the South Florida Sun Sentinel today that he “could tell” James was returning to Cleveland by his friend’s body language on their cross-country flight from Las Vegas to Miami.
Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade had a hunch.
When he and LeBron James shared a flight from Las Vegas last month, he could tell there was something different about his former teammate.
All it took was noticing James’ body language.
“Yeah, I went to sleep knowing,” Wade said Friday before his annual Fantasy Basketball Camp at the Westin Diplomat Hotel. “He called me the next day. But I knew then. Obviously he still had to say the final yay or nay, but I knew. I could tell.”
This is hardly revelatory. Wade and James are notoriously close – it’s certainly seems plausible that he could sense something was amiss during his time with LeBron in Vegas. However, Wade’s words confirm the long-held notion that he and fellow free agent Chris Bosh were in the dark regarding James’ decision throughout the process.
Whether or not the Heat’s Big Three had an agreement in place to re-sign with Miami when they all opted-out of their contracts is still unknown. Considering that James has had the public support of Wade, Bosh, and the entire Heat organization since his decision, though, that possibility seems unlikely. There’s been no smoke of betrayal coming from South Beach.
What’s done is done, of course. Many consider LeBron and the Cavs Eastern Conference favorites while Wade, Bosh, and the revamped Heat appear poised for contention, too. Nevertheless, it still fascinates to learn behind-the-scenes details of the biggest free agent move in league history.
What do you think?
Follow Jack on Twitter at @ArmstrongWinter.
Follow Dime on Twitter at @DimeMag.
Become a fan of Dime Magazine on Facebook HERE.
