Years from now, Dwyane Wade's near two-year departure from the Miami Heat will feel like a bad dream. Fans erupted in joy when the greatest player in franchise history returned to the franchise that drafted him.
In the midst of acrimonious free agent talks with Heat architect Pat Riley in the summer of 2016, Wade left the friendly confines of South Beach for his original hometown team, the Chicago Bulls. After one disaster season in the Windy City, he hoped that joining forces in Cleveland with his former teammate, LeBron James, would reclaim past glory.
With the Cavaliers in a tailspin and not knowing how Wade may fit into their team for the stretch run, they shipped him back to Miami. While he may not have played a large role as the Cavs try to figure out a way back to the NBA Finals, he could be just what the doctor ordered to assuage the scuffling Heat.
Since James, Wade and Chris Bosh left Miami, the franchise has done a nice job restocking the shelves, but they have yet to figure out a way to get the most collectively out of all of their new toys. They compiled a 30-11 record in the second half of last season but still came up short in reaching the playoffs.
The Heat have again found themselves in postseason contention this year, but they have not been able to separate from the pack and cement their place. Prior to the Wade acquisition, they were losers of five in a row.
Miami has talented youngsters, a defensive force in Hassan Whiteside and an All-Star in Goran Dragic, but they are still searching for that galvanizing force that can put them over the top. Perhaps, even at 36-years-old, that presence can be Wade.
Wade does not jump as high as he used to, score as much or have the stamina to carry a team through long stretches like he once did; but be can still be the guy the Heat count on when it matters.
When Dion Waiters was shut down for the season due to an ankle injury, Miami lost one of their go-to providers of instant offense. Now, they have brought back the franchise's all-time leading scorer.
Wade is averaging career-lows across the board, but this return to the place where he has had so much success is sure to motivate him. The opportunity to play a meaningful role on a young team trying to write their own chapter in Heat history is bound to reignite his passion for the game.
The harsh realities of life always eventually bring our sports heroes down to earth. There will not be many moments in the sun left for Wade, but the clock has yet to strike 12 on #3's career.
He still has enough to pull from that old box of tricks and put the team on his back for a possession, a quarter or even a game. It's safe to assume that performance will come right in the nick of time for the Heat.
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Carson Ingle is a South Florida native. He has been a sportswriter and sports talk radio host based in Orlando for the past ten years. He can currently be seen several times a week on Spectrum Sports 360's Face-Off segment at 10:30 p.m. on Central Florida News 13, channel 1013. Follow him on Twitter.
Cover photo from Pixabay
