He's 28 and has won one ring. And if he wants to win more and be compared to the legendary guards in the game's history — the Magic Johnsons, the Michael Jordans, the Kobe Bryants — he's got to take it upon himself to find a way.
He has two options. First, he can go all-out in search of the mythical dream team and play alongside LeBron James and take the NBA world by storm for the next decade. Or, he can blaze his own trail and build a dynasty of his own in Miami. Rather than serve as a jester to King James, he can take the throne himself.
It's a life-changing decision for Wade, and it will test his true priorities as a basketball player. What's more important to him — surrounding himself with the best talent possible or creating a situation where he can be top dog?
Wade spent July 1 in Chicago, listening to a two-hour pitch from a Bulls team that has a chance to sign multiple max free agents this summer. Wade has a chance to be one of them. But if he goes to Chicago and joins LeBron, Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, and possibly a fifth star via a sign-and-trade, he'll be a little fish in a big pond.
Wade has been the leader in Miami for seven years. He's carried the Heat through both good times (their 2006 championship run) and bad (their 15-67 nightmare of a season just two years later). He's poured his blood, sweat and tears into one franchise, and it would be painful for him to leave it behind now.
In his heart of hearts, Wade wants to stay in Miami and Miami wants him, too. So much, in fact, that that the Miami-Dade County Commission has approved legislation to temporarily change the county's name to Miami-Wade County for the first week of free agency.
Wade owns Miami — almost literally. How could he walk away now?
The LeBron-Wade dream team is an entertaining pipe dream, but the more likely scenario is that Wade works with Pat Riley and the Heat on rebuilding their team and returning to championship contention. They've got plenty of money to do it with.
Last week, in the hours leading up to the NBA draft, Riley quietly made a shrewd deal to free up room under the salary cap for next season by sending Daequan Cook and the No. 18 pick to Oklahoma City. After unloading Cook, the Heat also got to work on a buyout for James Jones, who was also on the books for the 2010-11 season.
The Heat are looking at two max spots in free agency this summer. And if they find a way to trade Michael Beasley before all's said and done, they may even have three top players within their reach.
Bosh? Definitely possible. Amare Stoudemire? Probably an even better possibility. Carlos Boozer? A solid contingency plan.
This summer, the Heat are looking at a smorgasbord of superstar talent. More ways to rebuild than they can shake a stick at. Wade, who takes a lot of pride in being the guy that's led the Miami Heat through thick and thin for seven years, will eventually find one that works for him.
