Whenever you talk about the Miami Heat, it can never write its history without drama. Pick the Jimmy Butler and Pat Riley saga, for example. Oh, even LeBron, for that matter. And worse? The dynamic between Dwyane Wade and Erik Spoelstra is a perfect example of tension between individual stardom and constructing a championship team! When Spoelstra became head coach of the Miami Heat in 2008, he took over a team led by a franchise legend in his prime. Wade, the 2006 Finals MVP, was used to shouldering massive minutes and offensive responsibility. Their relationship faced its biggest test during the “Heatles” era (2010-14), especially when Spoelstra reduced Wade’s playing time after 2011. But this isn’t the only thing that went down between the two.
Dwyane Wade took a major step in July 2016. He resigned from the Miami Heat. This departure came after failed contract negotiations with Miami over a $20 million deal, where he reportedly felt undervalued. At this time, he signed a two-year, $47 million deal with the Chicago Bulls. One can speculate that this could have also been because of his reduced time. However, Wade got traded back to Miami in February 2018 after short stints with the Bulls and the Cavs, right before the trade deadline. However, this was a major compromise on Dwyane Wade’s part.
In 2018, when he re-signed with the Miami Heat, it was for a one-year veteran minimum deal worth $2.39 million. Significantly (10x) less than the amount that had caused friction and led to his departure just two years earlier. The situation was especially striking considering that Wade had earned over $23 million with the Chicago Bulls in the 2016–17 season. His return to Miami must have surely come under desperate circumstances and legacy. Well, on top of this, Dwyane Wade even opened up about signing a few pre-playoff contracts for coach Spoelstra. And the reason for such a contract?
On his podcast, wynetwork, D-Wade said, “We signed contracts in the playoffs. Everybody had to stand up and sign a contract in front of the team.” So, even after accepting a deal for a price lower than what’s paid to the rookies, legend D-Wade didn’t let ego hamper his conduct. Erik Spoelstra’s primary reason was to ensure that every member shows up to the practice unfailingly. He clarified it by saying, “And their role is, ‘I just need you to bring it in practice every day in these playoffs.’ And you may play, you may not.” This condition stood regardless of status or minutes played.
Every player had to fully commit to the team’s mission, starting with effort at practice. Dwyane Wade even praised Erik Spoelstra’s leadership during the playoffs. He highlighted how the coach had a unique ability to clearly define roles with no ambiguity. Spoelstra never left room for misinterpretation.
Dwyane Wade opens up about the lottery system as Jazz feel the heat
Almost the entire league is side-eyeing the system, but Dwyane Wade had the most explicit commentary. Not just once, but multiple times. When the worst team keeps getting punished while others leapfrog on “random” bounces, fans do feel cheated. So, on Time Out with Dwyane Wade, when Bob asked, “How do y’all feel?” Dwyane Wade couldn’t hold back. “I was hot, I was hot, I can’t even hold you, I was hot”. He explained his immediate reaction: “I’m sure we get to number one, how we get five?”. He expected that the Jazz would land Cooper Flagg, the top prospect. However, he didn’t dismiss the potential of the fifth pick entirely.
Wade acknowledged, “Great things have happened at number five, not saying nothing’s gonna happen in the future with number five, we don’t know.” Of course, as the No. 5 overall pick by the Miami Heat in the 2003 NBA Draft, he knows the value of that spot. Still, he wasn’t satisfied with Utah’s position, exclaiming, “But right now, as we sit here, how do we get five? Give us three at the very least, at the very least!” But he didn’t stop at just expressing shock, he dug deeper into the issue. Wade continued, “I think the thing about it is, it’s open for all of us to say what we feel”.
His statement made it clear that he believes public scrutiny is fair when something seems questionable. He added, “And when stuff like that happens, it looks a little funny, it looks like funny money in the light. That’s all I’m saying. It looked like funny money in the light.” His words suggest he finds the lottery results suspicious, or even potentially manipulated.
Dwyane Wade didn’t sugarcoat his frustration. He called it exactly how he saw it. He openly questioned the fairness of a system. In doing so, he gave voice to what much of the league and fanbase are already thinking but hesitant to say aloud.
The post 7 Years After Accepting $2.3 Million Role, Dwyane Wade Reveals Erik Spoelstra’s Playoff Assignment appeared first on EssentiallySports.
