Dwyane Wade
Age: 34
Height: 6-foot-4
Career stats: 35.7 mpg; 23.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 5.8 apg, 1.7 spg, 0.9 bpg; 48.8/28.4/76.7 shooting splits
2015-16 stats: 74 games, 30.5 mpg; 19 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 4.6 apg, 1.1 spg, 0.6 bpg; 45.6/15.4/79.3 shooting splits
Strengths:
• Scoring: Wade is a versatile, explosive scorer who gets to the rim at will and bosses the midrange. However, his declining body has forced a graceful evolution into the NBA’s most impressive “old man game.”
• Point guard skillset: Wade runs the Heat offense like a point guard, wisely navigating screens and using his exceptional dribbling and passing skills to make plays.
• Defense: When physically able, Wade is still a lockdown defender. He averages a block a game for his career, despite his smaller stature. But it all depends on health.
Weaknesses:
• 3-point shooting: Wade has never been able to shoot threes efficiently, and despite his remarkable resurgence in the playoffs, he’s removed the shot from his game.
• Durability: Wade has fought injuries throughout his entire career. Despite playing in 74 games this season, you can never feel too confident about his health.
• Age: Dwyane Wade is 34. His career will come to an end when his body can no longer support the rigors of an NBA season, so he’s not a long-term investment.
Why the Warriors make sense:
The leading three-point shooting team in 2015-16 doesn’t need — and can’t afford — the aging Heat star. But that doesn’t mean Wade wouldn’t be able to find a way to help. The Warriors are touted for their small ball dominance, and Wade could fit right into the backcourt as an experienced, scoring/facilitating backup for Klay Thompson that’s capable of running the offense. One of the things the Warriors lack is a true scorer off the bench.
Why the Warriors don’t make sense:
Wade, truthfully, is not the best fit for the Warriors for several reasons. First, he is most effective when ball-dominant, which would relegate him to a far smaller role than his asking price would justify. The Warriors need to keep the ball in the hands of Steph Curry and Draymond Green. Wade also does not shoot threes, which is the Warriors’ trademark, and Shaun Livingston offers a cheaper version with the same midrange game that Wade offers. Livingston also runs the backup ball-handling role that Wade would occupy. While any team would theoretically be happy to field a future Hall-of-Fame guard, a Warriors-Wade union doesn’t seem in the cards.