Dean Wade didn’t sound like a player looking back fondly on Cleveland.
Now with the 76ers after leaving the Cavaliers in free agency, Wade made it clear this week that Philadelphia was the destination he wanted all along. Speaking on Philadelphia-based radio station 97.5 The Fanatic, he explained the move in blunt terms.
"I knew why I was coming here. I wanted to compete for a championship," Wade said in regards to his role likely being reduced to a backup rather than a starter after James joined the fold.
That line lands with some bite considering where Cleveland stood just five months ago. The Cavaliers were on the doorstep of the NBA Finals, battling the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals before getting swept. New York went on to win its first Larry O'Brien Trophy since 1973.
From there came an offseason full of change in Cleveland, and Wade was part of it. He left after signing a four-year, $87 million deal with Philadelphia, one of the league’s title favorites. The timing only added to the sense that the 76ers were building something bigger, especially after they traded for Boston Celtics wing Jaylen Brown several days before Wade’s deal and then added LeBron James later in the summer.
Wade’s fit in Philadelphia looks different than it did in Cleveland. He is expected to work in a key reserve role this season rather than start, a shift he appeared fully willing to accept. That attitude fits the kind of move he just made: leaving one situation for what he sees as a better shot at a ring.
His departure also closes the book on a useful stretch in Cleveland. Wade started 14 of 18 games during the Cavaliers’ postseason run last season and shot 46.2% from the floor and 37.5% from three.
Still, his reluctance to fire away at times left him vulnerable. He averaged just 3.6 field goal attempts per game in that stretch, and despite being a strong defender and one of the few wings on the roster, he became expendable in the eyes of Cavaliers brass.
Now the conversation shifts to whether Cleveland can make Wade’s exit look like a mistake. Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Evan Mobley and the rest of the group will have to answer that themselves. For now, Wade is in Philadelphia, and he’s made no secret about why he went.
In Other News...
Donovan Mitchell Distances Himself From Cavaliers Summer Addition
Donovan Mitchell made it clear this week that he was not involved in bringing Peyton Watson to Cleveland, a small but notable footnote to the Cavaliers busy summer. Watson arrived on a four-year, $88 million deal as the kind of three-and-D wing the roster has been built to value, giving the Cavs another versatile piece as they try to firm up the edges of a contender.
Mitchells clarification doesnt change the bigger picture for Cleveland, which added Watson with the expectation that he can help on both ends right away. But it does add a little intrigue to how the move came together, and to how the Cavaliers are distributing credit as they keep shaping a team they believe can chase a championship next season. [Read more 🡒]
Why The Cavaliers Made This Preseason Feel Different
The Cavaliers preseason has been part of a bigger Cleveland sports conversation lately, even with the Guardians celebrating an AL Central title and the Browns dealing with another round of questions about Deshaun Watson and their defense. On a recent podcast episode that ranged across the citys teams, the Cavs came up as part of the fall sports picture, with their preseason work drawing attention alongside talk of the Guardians Division Series plans and broader trends around the game.
For Cleveland fans, that kind of crossover matters because it gives the Cavaliers a place in the citys current sports mood, not just as a separate basketball team but as part of an all-around stretch of local intrigue. The preseason always brings some anticipation, but this one has felt a little different because the conversation around the team is happening in a season where everything else in town seems to be moving too, from baseball to football to the wider sports issues being debated on air. [Read more 🡒]
Cavaliers Just Unveiled A Giveaway Fans From 2016 Will Love
The Cavaliers are rolling out a promotional schedule that leans heavily into both the present and the franchises most celebrated memory, giving fans plenty of reasons to circle home dates on the calendar. Among the giveaways are a James Harden bobblehead, a Matthew Dellavedova bobblehead, home opener T-shirts and rally towels, plus a Spida Foam Finger for Marvel Night, with the promotions tied to visits from teams including the Raptors, Warriors, Knicks, Nets and Mavericks.
For longtime Cleveland fans, though, the item likely to draw the biggest reaction is the mini championship banner marking the 10th anniversary of the 2016 title. It is the kind of giveaway that reminds everyone how much that run still matters in the building, and it gives the team a way to tap into that nostalgia while the season ahead gets underway. [Read more 🡒]