Longtime friends LeBron James and Dwyane Wade haven’t played alongside each other since Game 5 of the 2014 NBA Finals. That will change with Wade joining Cleveland on a one-year deal and James is thrilled about the new opportunity, as Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com relays.
“I’m happy that we were able to keep him away from everybody else,” James said about Wade choosing Cleveland over other, more lucrative offers. “It’s a guy, come on, man, this is like one of my best friends. It’s kind of like when you start school and you walk into the classroom and you’re not quite sure who your classmates are and when you walk in there and one of your best friends is in there, you’re like, ‘Oh, yeah, this is going to be fun. It’s going to be a good class.’ That’s the type of feeling I got.”
Cleveland will employ half of the famous “banana boat” crew, though – had the front office been willing to part with Tristan Thompson – perhaps Carmelo Anthony would have also been playing for the team. James understands that a Melo-to-The Land deal didn’t work out.
“I mean, from a friend perspective, I wish [Anthony] would have came and we could have worked some things out,” James said. “But at the end of the day I think our front office has done a great job and either the Knicks felt or we felt it just didn’t work out. And it worked out for the Thunder. So, like I said, I’ve been pretty much even-keeled this summer. I wish he would have been here. It would have been great to have him. I love Melo’s game. I love D-Wade’s game. I love [Chris Paul‘s] game. You know how I feel about those three but that doesn’t take anything away from what we got in that locker room which is a lot. I look forward to continuing to grow with these guys, especially the new guys.”
James believes that Wade “adds another championship DNA” to the roster and adds that the shooting guard, who will turn 36 this season, can still be counting on to make plays a high level.
“[The addition of Wade] adds to our depth and we were already pretty deep. It adds even more depth and even more playmaking to our team, which obviously you guys saw last year he can still do,” James said.
Thompson and Shumpert for Melo, where do i sign up?
You don’t because you’re irrelevant and not a GM
Savage
Truth
Shots fired!
I can’t wait to see D Wade and Rose is the same backcourt..on the floor at the same time..as if the Cadavers defense wasn’t bad enough last year !!!
Get back Bynum and all the bad knees will be on one team
Keep hating. Your tears are delicious.
How hilarious would that have been, Thompson a Knick AND having impregnated a Kardashian? Over/under on years until he’s broke and in rehab in that case?
Oh dear God am glad they didn’t trade for melo. All the Cavs need is another old slow dude clapping his hands on the wings wanting the ball.
Tristan never knew he was so popular among local online GMs. Usually he gets panned… didn’t show up, bad contract, no shot. Now it’s thank goodness we still have TT!
All LeBum James cares about is himself. Never what’s best for team it’s all about what’s best for him. Which of course will be a new address next year.