All things considered, Dwyane Wade has been playing pretty well this season.
Despite being on the verge of turning 34 years old, the Miami Heat shooting guard is averaging 17.8 points and 4.7 assists per game. His scoring average is second on the team, while his assists average leads the squad.
However, before his recent 24-point performance in a 116-109 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Thursday night, the veteran guard had struggled in the prior four games—he averaged just 10.8 points on 32.7 percent from the field. Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel stated that the Heat should consider experimenting with the idea of having Wade come off the bench:
“If there ever was a player I could see prime to at least start the move to a Manu Ginobli type role, it is Dwyane Wade. Where he can be instant offense off the bench, where by playing off the bench, you can limit his minutes and extend his career. It would make a lot of sense to me to at least consider, to start, to experiment with that.”
While Winderman certainly has an argument for Wade coming off the bench due to his age and the Heat’s desire to keep him healthy, it just doesn’t help the team right now. The 13-year veteran remains Miami’s best player. Not only is he still the team’s go-to option, he is also the Heat’s best playmaker as Goran Dragic continues to get comfortable within the offense.
In the San Antonio Spurs’ case with Ginobli, they have always had such depth-heavy teams. With Tim Duncan and Tony Parker entrenched in the starting lineup, the Spurs could afford to replace Ginobli as a starter.
Who are the Heat going to replace with Wade at shooting guard? The options are likely limited to Tyler Johnson and Gerald Green.
It may be a possibility down the road that the Heat bring Wade off of the bench, but it sure is not going to happen this season.
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