Dwyane Wade has cleared up absolutely nothing about his future in the NBA.
Speculation continues to swirl as the 36-year-old remains unsigned. Will he retire? Will he return to the Miami Heat? Could he potentially sign a deal to play in China? We don’t know. Nor, it seems, does he. He’s taking his sweet time to make a decision and doesn’t plan on changing his approach.
From ESPN.com’s Ohm Youngmisuk:
In due time,” Wade said when asked if he has an update on whether he will continue playing in the NBA or overseas or retire. “Time will tell.”
Speaking on a conference call with reporters to discuss his role as global ambassador of the upcoming Jr. NBA World Championship, Wade said family will factor heavily in his decision.
Miami Heat president Pat Riley said last week that the organization will wait patiently for Wade’s decision. According to the Associated Press, Miami’s most realistic options are to offer Wade the $5.3 million exception or the $2.4 million veteran minimum.
Wade basically said he didn’t want to play anywhere other than Miami after being traded back to the Heat. The smart money is on him re-signing with them at the minimum or for the taxpayer’s mid-level exception. But their roster is weird. They don’t need another ball-dominant non-spacer. And if Wade wants to contend for a title, they’re not the team he should be signing on to join.
At the same time, there is no clear fit for Wade on a contender. Not even LeBron James’ Los Angeles Lakers have room for him when looking at their depth chart. The Heat may be the only team that’s both competitive and willing to play Wade. And that, in turn, would make this decision purely a matter of occupational preference: Does Wade want to play with the Heat or enter retirement?
