The dust has begun to settle from Dwyane Wade‘s decision to sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and on Friday, ESPN’s Rachel Nichols sat down with Wade to discuss the move.
During the interview, Wade and Nichols discussed what convinced him to sign with Cleveland, and why he chose not to re-sign with the Miami Heat.
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“I can’t say it was an easy decision, because Miami made it hard because my heart is there, of course and my legacy and everything is there,” Wade said. “But from a basketball standpoint right now. Strictly basketball, it was an easy decision.”
Later in the interview, Nichols asked how tempting it was for Wade to re-join the Heat.
“It was very tempting because…well, my house is there. My kids go to school there. Udonis [Haslem], one of my favorite teammates, one of my brothers is there,” he said. “We always talk, we always had this plan to finish our career together, but when I took a look at it, I felt, and I don’t know if this is how they felt, but I just felt that that team deserves the chance to come back and see what they can do in this next season. I didn’t feel like I was needed there at this moment so I decided not to make that decision.”
Then, Wade answered questions about his relationship with Heat president Pat Riley.
“We have respect for each other,” he said. “Pat is the kind of person that if you’re not on his side you’re against him. I’m not on his side right now so I guess I’m against him because I’m a competitor, but I love him to death. He’s very important in my career, and he’ll be very important when my career is over, but we’re competitors right now.”
Finally, Nichols asked Wade to reiterate his desire to finish his career in a Heat jersey.
“I do. I do want to retire in a Heat jersey,” he said. “I don’t know if it was going to be coming back next year, if it was going to be coming the following summer, if it was going to coming for one day, I don’t know. But when I decided to stop playing this game of basketball, I definitely want to make sure that I walk out in a Miami Heat jersey, or walk out on the court, give my wave and salute off.”
It will never be easy seeing Wade play in anything other than a Heat jersey. While his decision to join the Cavs certainly makes sense from a basketball decision, it’s good to hear that his heart is still in Miami.
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