If Allen Iverson and Dwyane Wade had ever shared a backcourt, it would’ve been a nightmare matchup for opposing defenses. Two relentless, fearless slashers with elite scoring instincts?
That’s the kind of pairing that keeps coaches up late with game tape and aspirin. And for a brief moment in 2006, that pairing was almost a reality.
Back then, the Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers were deep in talks to bring Iverson to South Beach. The deal was on the table.
Iverson to Miami. Udonis Haslem to Philly.
But just as things were heating up, Dwyane Wade stepped in-and shut it down.
Wade recently opened up about the moment in a conversation on Amazon Prime, recalling a pivotal talk with then-Heat president Pat Riley. Riley asked him directly if he was on board with the move. Wade was in-until he heard the cost.
“He was like, ‘You in?’ I said, ‘I’m in.’
He’s like, ‘We’re going to have to trade U.D.,’ and I said, ‘I’m out. I’m out.’
That was it.”
That was the end of the Iverson-to-Miami dream. Not because of fit, not because of egos-because of Haslem.
That’s how much Wade valued his teammate, and it speaks volumes about the kind of culture the Heat were building. Haslem wasn’t just a role player; he was the glue, the enforcer, the heart of that locker room.
Wade has always had immense respect for Iverson. He knows how electric they could’ve been together.
But at that moment, he believed keeping Haslem was more important than adding another superstar. And history backed him up.
The Heat went on to win the NBA championship that year in 2006, with Haslem playing a key role. He’d go on to be a part of Miami’s title runs in 2012 and 2013 as well.
Three rings. All with U.D. in the mix.
As for Iverson, he was eventually traded to the Denver Nuggets early in the 2006-07 season. Philly received veteran guard Andre Miller in return, a steady hand who helped stabilize the Sixers’ backcourt during a transitional period.
It’s one of those great NBA what-ifs. Iverson and Wade on the same team?
The scoring, the swagger, the sheer chaos they could’ve created together-it’s fun to imagine. But in the end, Wade’s loyalty to Haslem helped shape a championship culture in Miami that still resonates today.