MIAMI (AP) – Dwyane Wade still has every hope of finishing his NBA career in the same manner that it began, wearing a Miami Heat uniform.
That’s the good news for Heat fans.
Now comes the tough part – Wade and the team figuring out how to make that a reality. It took a $20 million contract this past season to keep the relationship going for a 13th year; it won’t come cheap this time either. While it’s obvious that being a free agent means Wade will have opportunities with other clubs, and he is more than prepared to listen – as was the case last year – his ideal scenario remains staying put.
“Hopefully, if everything goes well this summer for this organization and for myself, we’ll give ourselves another chance,” Wade told The Associated Press before leaving for vacation.
He has had talks with the Heat already, since they didn’t have to wait for July 1 to engage with their own players. Miami will also be busy trying to retain Hassan Whiteside and lure Kevin Durant, but keeping Wade is also very high on Heat President Pat Riley’s list of offseason priorities.