Friday, August 26th, 2011 at 9:00 am  |  125 responses

Dwyane Wade: Miami Started ‘Trend’ for NBA Free Agents


by Marcel Mutoni / @marcel_mutoni

The sports world went crazy when LeBron James and Chris Bosh joined Dwyane Wade in Miami last July.

It was an unprecedented coup for the Heat’s front-office, but what was most remarkable about it, is that it was the players themselves who orchestrated much of the shocking move.

According to DWade, NBA fans — and most critically — executives shouldn’t be surprised if this has a snowball effect on other free agents.

After all, we’ve already seen hints from other stars around the NBA looking to make similar decisions.

ESPN has the quotes:

Love or hate the Miami Heat, Dwyane Wade knows that he and teammates LeBron James and Chris Bosh set a trend the rest of the NBA will follow for years. “Yes, we have,” Wade said. “I don’t know whether it’s a good thing or a bad thing, but more guys are going to look to team up and do things like that.”

“I don’t know. I wish I could pinpoint it,” he said. “Obviously, people don’t like change. And we changed things. We changed the way things were done. People don’t like that. It takes time to get used to it. Whenever you’re the first to do something, it’s not always the best thing. But eventually later on you get to see, it wasn’t that bad. You can look at a guy like Allen Iverson when he first came in the league, tattoos, braids, all these things, it wasn’t cool. It was cool on the outside, but in the NBA world it wasn’t cool. Now you see people around the world with tattoos, braids, no matter what profession you’re in, it’s OK. But he was one of the first ones, as an athlete, to do it. And you’ve seen that he got a lot of backlash, but now it’s a cool thing to do. Anybody can get braids now, anybody can get tattoos now, and it’s not as bad. When you’re the first one to do something, it’s always the worst, but eventually it comes around.”

Free agent supertars deciding to join forces, thereby creating super-teams is precisely the kind of thing NBA team owners want to curb going forward — the ability for players to take control of their own careers, and to dramatically alter the sport’s landscape in a single summer.

The folks holding the purse strings for teams, especially in smaller markets, will fight tooth and nail during this labor war to make sure Dwyane Wade’s prediction of a free agent trend starting never gets off the ground.

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  • http://www.bulls.com Enigmatic

    Wilt at 34?
    24 and 24 per.

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    Was MJ in his prime or close to it when he won the MVP in ’97 at the age of 34? Was Malone anywhere near his prime when he won the 98 MVP at the age of 35? Was Kareem in his prime when he won the 79 MVP at the age of 32?
    No, No , No. Just because a player wins a MVP after his 30s doesn’t mean that the guy was in his prime. When you’re an all-time great, you tend to possess the same qualities and skills deep into your 30s.

  • http://www.bulls.com Enigmatic

    Being 31-plus does not mean being past your prime, is what I’m getting at.

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    Their age doesn’t have any barring on their prime, its how they play the game. Would you say Steve Nash’s prime was when he was 27? or 35? exactly. — And Magic was playing at his career averages at 31, actually was higher in APG by over (1.3) APG so he was still in his prime. Maybe the end of it, but his prime none-the-less. — And the Lakers became more of a half-court team because they lost the majority of their athletes (Byron Scott and James Worthy were the only players left from the Showtime Lakers) and their shot-blocking, outlet starting center had retired (you try and run with AC Green, Sam Perkins, Vlade Divac, and Terry Teagle). You go back and watch that series, notice how Magic absolutely dominated the Bulls and Michale Jordan in game 1 when he put up a triple double (19Points, 10Rebounds, 11Assists) on 5 shots. Your underrating Scottie Pippen defensively is the moral of he story here.

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    and you need to realize that a players prime only pertains to how effectively they are playing the sport, not how old they are, or how high they can jump, or how fast they can run.

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    So if MJ was in his prime at 34, what stage was he in at age 23 avg. 37ppg? His God-stage? Or Wilt what stage was he in at age 25 avg. 50/25? His alien-stage? Come on son, stop it.

  • MLK4Life

    Whoa, MJ had superteams? Don’t think so. Besides Scottie (who was a bench player who turned himself into a Hall of Famer) and Dennis Rodman for the last three titles, who else could be classified as being a great player? Luc Longley and Ron Harper? Horace Grant? Bill Cartwright? People simply don’t understand what the word “hater” means. It’s overused way too much. Stating facts is not hating. If one dislikes the Heat, they may have good reasons to do so. Good reasons would include the TV show LeBron had, the concert they gave, the way LeBron spoke about winning 7 championships easily yet after game one of the regular season he says “Rome wasn’t built in one day.” Just a few months prior to that, his exact words were “Once we get on the court, it’s going to be easy.” Those are valid reasons to dislike the team. That’s not hate at all. At the end of the day, it’s just basketball. These guys are just basketball players. Not that important or that serious. It’s a fun game. So I could care less about how these teams are formed or how these guys are personally. We don’t know them. But I can fully understand someone disliking the Heat if it’s for solid reasons. Objectively speaking, I can clearly see that D-Wade’s tone has changed since LeBron joined his team.

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    You mean their best statistical seasons? They were in their best individual stage, maybe their “individual” prime.
    Would you want Jordan at 23 or Jordan at 34?
    I mean if I wanted a highlight tape the answer would be easy,
    if I wanted a whole season worth of just production the answer would be pretty easy too.

    But if I wanted a Championship? I think its pretty clear who the right choice is as well
    Michael Jordan at 34.

    So what’s your definition of prime, statistics, or championships?

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    No, it’s when they are at their ultimate best, both physically and skill-wise. Magic was not at his ultimate best at age 31, sorry he wasn’t. He still was able to put up those numbers because he had the same skills he had at 25 plus his understanding of the game was more advanced. The same thing with MJ during the second Bulls 3peat. He couldn’t jump as high or blow past defenders like he could at 26/27 but his brain and skill-set had improved to the point that he could dominate regardless.

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    Yes and if you have played basketball in your life you would know that being smarter is better then jumping higher.

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    Stop acting like MJ had the same talent around him at 23 as he did at 34, stop. Guarantee you that if 23yr old MJ had Pip, Rodman and PJax, the bulls would have won more games than in 96. Remember that MJ dropped 63 on BOS and his team still lost!!!
    Winning championships or putting up the best stats has nothing to do with determining when a player was in his prime. You have to figure out (watch game footage) when a guy had the complete package; physically, mentally and skill-wise.
    To each its own. If you believe that a guy’s prime has to involve winning chips, that’s on you. I’m not going to belittle you for thinking differently.

  • bike

    I have always heard that, as a general rule, nba players hit their prime at 27 or 28 and it’s based upon physical peak. After 30, a body’s ability to perform at peak physical ability for professional basketball begins to diminish. The rate at which it diminishes will vary of course but the pounding on ligiments, muscles, etc. eventually takes its toll. It does not mean a player can’t still perform at a very high level well into their 30′s and of course they have over 10 years experience by that time.

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    The only reasons Magic Johnson retired was because he had HIV, he was still the best PG on planet earth at the time. His retirement has really cast a shadow over the end of his career, when he was just as productive, with half the talent around him. – And lets point out a few other things about player that are, in your definition, “past their prime”
    - Hakeem won his only 2 titles at – 31 and 32
    - Kobe won his 2 post Shaq titles at – 30 and 31
    - Dirk won his only title at – 32
    - Shaq won his last tile at – 32
    - Steve Nash won all of his 2 MVP Awards after 31
    - Karl Malone won all of his 2 MVP Awards after 31
    - Michael Jordan won 3 Titles after 31, and 2 MVP’s
    - Wilt at 31 averaged 24.6PPG 23.4RPG & 8.6APG

    31 seems like an ok age for players “past their prime” to me.

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    in 96 the Bulls won 72 games. go to sleep if you think selfish ass 23 year old Michael Jordan would have led a team to 72 wins. eww this conversation is over.

  • bull22

    wade is an idiot, this has been done before (not with their type of chic drama) the last being boston and among many others.. wade must live in sheltered little world or just plain stupid ,lol what a laugher. i guess when you dont win a title you must have to say other things to make any type of news.

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    Good. I don’t have to continue arguing with a sensitive feline. I already have enough of that at home.

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    sensitive would be throwing out a back handed insult when someone reacts to you being an idiot.

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    Cry me a river.

  • vtrobot

    d. wade is totally right. that was the first time two self-entitled superstar d-bags teamed up with a feminine praying mantis-type and didn’t win anything. and they felt it was important enough to record it all for reality TV. history has been made. is this year’s pre-season championship party coming up soon?

  • http://www.ballislife.com/profiles/blogs/kobetop10moments nbk

    You want me to add to the river you already started or to create my own? Im under 31 so I have a prime amount of tears to shed….

  • http://slamonline.com LakeShow

    You guys are cute. I honestly think there is no cap on “Prime”. Dudes can be past their 35th B-Day and straight ballin’ so you can’t look at age. Actually it’s the other way around for me. I don’t think an athlete can reach his prime till about 24. Can they ball out of their minds? ya, but as far as the mental aspects of the game. You don’t get that till around 25+.

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    I could but I discriminatory towards men with female tendencies.

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    that sentence didn’t make sense in any way. your response “i could” was awkward, and discriminatory doesn’t make sense after the word I. I JTaylor, I caveman, I sex with women that look a lot like men. see, it doesn’t work.

  • Heals

    Damn this squad doesn’t miss a beat off he court, it just keeps coming, and coming, and coming. I’d swear they have a sixth sense that can tell when they aren’t being talked about, too which they have the uncanny ability to respond immediately…

  • http://www.bulls.com Enigmatic

    nbk is winning this round.
    Sorry, JT.

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    Well, that’s what females do. Try to win every argument.

  • http://www.bulls.com Enigmatic

    Y’all are making my Friday more entertaining.
    Please continue.

  • http://www.ballislife.com/profiles/blogs/kobetop10moments nbk

    Females actually try and win at everything. Me and Michael Jordan have matching vaginas.

  • http://twitter.com/BeezKneezy LA Huey

    This back and forth is funny. What was this orignally about?
    @LakeShow, I agree that you can’t say Age X to Y is when a player’s in their prime. Their prime is when he’s reached an optimum combo of his skills and smarts. Could be 20, 30, or 40.

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    MJ has everything. What has your vagina gotten you? Box of tampons, a juwanna mann dvd and your picture on a std clinic’s wall?

  • http://www.ballislife.com/profiles/blogs/kobetop10moments nbk

    Jtaylor said Magic Johsnon in 1991 was “way past his prime” – that was the start of our argument.

  • http://www.ballislife.com/profiles/blogs/kobetop10moments nbk

    I own a home at 24, a victory in this argument. Oh anD i’m pretty good at scrabble

  • http://www.bulls.com Enigmatic

    F*ck you, nbk!

  • http://www.ballislife.com/profiles/blogs/kobetop10moments nbk

    I sold my Juwanna Man dvd for a copy of the complete first season of Yo! MTV Raps

  • http://slamonline.com LakeShow

    Lol. Their tied now Enig^^

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    “Today, August 26th, 2011, a date which will live in infamy. The male species was suddenly and deliberately attacked by a man suffering from a sever case of b*tcha**ness.”

  • http://dskjfl.com Jukai

    What trend did they start? There hasn’t been another season. This may never happen again. A “trend” only starts when other people do it. I have not said this yet, but I’m beginning to join the “Wade really needs to stfu” crowd.

  • hillbilly

    In other news, Al Gore started the internet. Billy Joel, however, did NOT start the fire. More at eleven.

  • http://dskjfl.com Jukai

    Oh jesus, I just read the comments now… let’s have a moment of silence for the braincells I lost while doing it…

  • http://slamonline Brion

    Havent dropped in on the Slam crowd for a while, good to see nothing has changed.

  • http://www.bulls.com Enigmatic

    I think they’re both losing, LakeShow.

  • HAMMER

    2day’s Layup Lines should have been Aaliyah’s “Back and forth”, instead of yesterday, judging by what im seeing going on here….Magic may been past his prime n ’91, but Pip hadn’t even reached his prime yet in ’91. So I disagree Magic “would have eaten him alive”.

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    I like how almost everyday someone drops in too say “haven’t looked in here for a little bit, looks like nothing has changed” — like a comment section is ever going to evolve into something more then a discussion that more often then not includes an almost pointless argument coupled with even more pointless insults. its all for fun, nobody goes home at night and cries about their life in the slamily…… i hope

  • http://www.opposingviews.com/i/nba-breakdown-cba-talk-revenue-sharing-salary-caps-and-lockouts Allenp

    Usually your prime is considered years 28-32. Those numbers can change if you came straight out of high school.

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    everyone who is interested in the lockout should reace the maurice evans interview on SI – especially the few of us who are on the side of the owners.

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    read* and i’ll try and learn how to spell

  • http://firespo.com KING

    he is saying that they were the first ones to have it in their hands

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    Late like your period.

  • http://www.bulls.com Enigmatic

    Huh?

  • chingy

    You guys make work pass by a lot faster. I think the point is, for prime years, in GENERAL, its around late 20s early 30s. But again, its in general. Some (ie. Nash, Dirk) have their primes later. Or in my case, earlier (when I was 17! lol)

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