The Lakers and Dwyane Wade have mutual interest, reports Chris Mannix of SI.com, citing league sources (Twitter link). Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald previously reported that associates of Wade had identified the Lakers as a strong alternative if the Heat and its long-tenured shooting guard can’t come to terms (Twitter link), and it appears that the Lakers would like to take Wade up on the idea. Many execs nonetheless see Wade’s push for more than the Heat are willing to give as saber rattling, Mannix hears, pointing out in a second tweet that it’s difficult to envision the Lakers providing Wade with a better chance to win than he has in Miami. However, the Lakers have the cap flexibility necessary to give the Henry Thomas client the $20MM salaries that he’s apparently eyeing on a three-year deal.
Wade, who has a $16.125MM player option for next season and has hinted that he’ll opt out, is open to leaving the Heat, who’d prefer he opt in, as Jackson reported last month. A friend of Wade’s told Jackson that the Heat, if he won’t opt in, would like him to sign a deal worth $16MM next season and $10MM in each of the next two.
The Lakers have only about $35MM in guaranteed salary for next season against a projected $67.1MM cap. They wouldn’t have enough left over to sign Wade to the sort of salary he’s looking for if they land another marquee target, like LaMarcus Aldridge or Kevin Love, without making some sort of salary-clearing trade. Presumably Wade, at 33 and with persistent knee concerns, is farther down the list of would-be targets, though the Lakers are also reportedly likely to chase Heat backcourt mate Goran Dragic, who’d be more likely to leave Miami if Wade does, as Jackson reported. The Heat are planning a five-year offer worth more than $80MM that’s less than the max for Dragic.
Wade’s father, who went as far as to appear in public wearing a Cavs T-shirt, has dropped vague hints that the Heat star is ready to leave Miami, as Ananth Pandian of CBSSports.com observes, though Wade himself, at least at the time of Jackson’s initial report last month, prefers to stay in Miami, all things being equal. We invited Hoops Rumors readers to discuss the issue as part of a recent Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround.
Well wade might go to the mavericks if monta Ellis opts out of his contract and if you look at the lineup for the mavs next year you see this:
PG Mo Williams
SG Dwayne Wade
SF Chandler Parsons
PF Lamarcus Aldrige
C Deandre Jordan/Tyson Chandler
That’s pretty good in my opinion but we will see what happens
I don’t think it’s realistic for that to happen with Jordan. Too many people would have to make contractual sacrifices. There is at least an outside chance with Chandler, and that would be pretty intriguing for Dallas, I’m sure.
So in this scenario they bench Dirk?
He’s said he’s willing to accept that if necessary, for what it’s worth.
Wade would have to take a salary lowering and that’s the whole reason as to why he may leave Miami. Keep dreaming buddy.
Its possible the mavericks would be interested in wade i mean come on. Monta Ellis was ok for the mavericks but he is too much for the mavs to handle. If the mavericks get Dwayne Wade then the chances for the mavericks to get LA and Jordan are pretty good. We know that rondo is going to walk and we obivousliy know that chandler and monta are going to walk as well. Mavericks are probably going to take a look at mo Williams this year of free agency and I said that mavericks sign mo Williams to a pretty good contract and sign wade. The lineup I posted up is a sure thing with chandler Parsons coming back from surgery. Mo Williams at the point, Dwayne Wade at the shooting position, LA at the power position, and DJ at the center position. I mean who knows the mavericks could beat teams in that western conference next season like Golden State, Clippers, Spurs, Suns, and Rockets. I promise you this free agency for the mavericks is going to be fun and mark Cuban and Donnie Nelson will get it done because they have the best minds in the NBA.
PG Goran Dragic
SG Dwyane Wade
SF Luol Deng
PF Chris Bosh
C Hassan Whiteside
you tell me which starting 5 looks better buddy lol
Leverage move by Wade.
The news certainly doesn’t hurt his cause.
Can anyone remember a time when the Lakers were used as leverage in negotiations? The Lakers being used to get a player more $$$ from the team they actually want to play for puts them on historical doormat levels.. does it not?