Dwyane Wade may not harbor much, if any, ill will toward the Miami Heat following his offseason departure, but he’s not exactly breaking bread with them, either.
As Wade told reporters ahead of the Chicago Bulls’ clash with his old team, he hasn’t even spoken to Heat president Pat Riley since leaving, per ESPN.com’s Nick Friedell:
“I think you guys know, I haven’t talked to him,” Wade said Wednesday. “It’s as simple as that. I think I’ve been very open and honest about my respect and love with Pat. I’ve been honest that I haven’t spoken to him since the season ended.”
The general thought throughout the league last summer was that Wade would re-sign with the Heat and ultimately end his career in Miami. After contract talks broke down, Wade decided to sign with the Bulls. The 34-year-old said he has “communicated with everyone else” in the organization besides Riley.
“I know who Pat is,” Wade said. “It’s no secret to me. I was there 13 years, I’ve seen a lot of players come and go. I know how he is. If you’re not with him, you’re against him. That’s just the way he is. You got to understand that, man. And I’m cool with it. I’m fine, 100 percent. I was there 13 years so I’ve seen a lot of video tributes, seen a lot of players come in and go out. And I’ve seen the way he’s responded to them. And I know if you’re not with him, you’re against him.”
Riley and Wade always seemed a bit closer than most player-president dynamics allow. At the very least, up until this summer, they were in sync more than most such couplings. That makes this kind of surprising.
But, at the same time, general managers and presidents don’t interact with players on a daily basis. Some do, most don’t. Now that Wade is playing for the Bulls, a rival team, it makes sense that he and Riley are exchanging daily texts.
Of course, you would expect some sort of final conversation in the aftermath of everything that happened this past summer. One or the other should have reached out to say goodbye or something. That’s what you would think at least.
Perhaps the hardball negotiations between Miami and Wade were that bad. Or maybe Riley truly is upset and embarrassed that he let Wade walk. Or perhaps the two were never that close to begin with.
Whatever the case, Riley and Wade will have an opportunity to reunite, briefly, and exchange pleasantries on Thursday, when Chicago travels into Miami. Let’s see if they seize the chance to bury this unspoken hatchet.
