Dwyane Wade‘s playing career is coming to an end and the 13-time All-Star would like to own an NBA team. The Heat would be his first choice, though owner Micky Arison has shown no interest in selling, so a minority ownership role appears to be the only available way to own a piece of the team he helped lead to three championships.
If Wade joins the franchise in such a role, he would want to be involved in personnel decisions to some extent, as he tells Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
“You want to learn that side,” Wade said of the front office. “You want to be a continued part of helping the game grow. For me, I would love to be a continued part of helping this organization grow.”
Wade added that he wouldn’t need to have final say on basketball decisions, telling Jackson that he wouldn’t want to have that “pressure” on him.
“Right now, you just want to get your feet wet,” Wade said of his willingness to be a minority owner during his first venture. “I’m definitely open to seeing what the possibilities are and go from there.”
The three-time NBA champion plans to reach out to Hornets owner Michael Jordan and Lakers president of basketball operations Magic Johnson to discuss life as a professional franchise owner. Wade added that he has spoken with long-time teammate Udonis Haslem about the possibility of being an owner of an NBA club.
“Our conversations have been more about owning a team, not owning this team,” Haslem explained. “That would be amazing. I would never thought I would be owning Subways, Starbucks and Einsteins, so who’s to say that would be out of my cards? It’s definitely possible.”
Haslem is planning to play at least one more season, while Wade is unlikely to join him for it.
Banana Boat Corp. CP3, LBJ, Wade, Bosh, Melo. First ever owner player team.
Even in 3 years with natural regression I think they could beat whichever NBA team is tanking…er “rebuilding”
That would actually be pretty cool
I’m confused by the writing, would Wade want the pressure of making final decisions or not? The article. Says he wouldn’t then it says he would?
Edited some of the wording to make it clearer — he’d want to be involved in the decision-making process, but not the one making the final call.
Thanks Luke, I figured he wouldn’t want the fallout of making final decisions.
Expand the league and give Seattle and Vegas teams. Move New Orleans and Memphis to the east. Too easy….
I love that idea, but there seems to be too little quality talent to go around as things are. Wouldn’t adding teams make the NBA even more unbalanced?
afs2- That would make it 15 in the WC and 17 in the EC. Jinxed yourself with the “too easy”!
How about just send the Grizz and the Pels to Seattle and Vegas respectively. I could see Seattle Grizzlies and if not go back to Sonics. Vegas gotta be changed I think maybe something like Las Vegas Lightning or Las Vegas Lions.
Sounds more like GM role
How much money does he have? A lot of teams are worth like a billion+ now. Does he want to sink every dollar he has into being part owner or is he just going to be the face for some billionaire?
He could pull a Jeter. Get a big investor that wants it for a portfolio, toss in $20 mil of your own money and give yourself a GM contract for $5 mil for 4 years. Free minority ownership with personnel decisions. Everyone wins. Everyone.