Reply With Quote
Labron and Dwade
or
Dwade and Labron?
Wade: Me and Bron All Along
SportingNews
Holy NBA cabal, Batman. If you thought that Garnett and Allen going to Seattle seemed like a case of hired gun-itis, this quote from Dwyane Wade will blow you away. Much has been made of the mini-max contracts that have allowed him and Bron to put pressure on their teams, and cut out early if necessary. But until now, we had no idea of the secret purpose behind it all: To leave the option open of the two teaming up and rulling the world.
From the New York Post:
"Before we agreed to terms, LeBron and I had a couple conversations," Wade said. "I can’t recall exactly what we said, but the gist of it was we wanted to give ourselves the flexibility and the option to play together."
"A lot of times in this league, players usually wind up going where they can get the most money. We’re both blessed within that area. We’ve made a lot of money. So we wanted to base our decision on two things, the organization and the ability to win a le. And that’s what we’ll do. When the season is over, we plan to sit down and talk about it."
That dead silence you hear is the entire league feeling like it’s been duped, or is being run by two twenty-somethings. They’d pretended that we made up this fantasy to amuse ourselves, but really, it’s been in their platinum-plated cards all along. Wade goes on to backtrack a little—"I’m not saying it will happen. But I’m intrigued by the idea"—and acknowledges that he probably couldn’t have played with another star like LeBron earlier in his career. Nice subtle dig at Shaq there. Regardless, this is the quote that changes everything, now and forever. And remember, nothing happens by accident when King James is involved.
Get ready for the mutiny. My question: Who gets to coach?
*********************
The Vecsey column.
Wade sees LeBron as future teammate
Peter Vecsey
"We know each other away from basketball, and I have an unbelievable respect for the person I've gotten to know during our seven years in the league."
Dwyane Wade served that morsel regarding his relationship with LeBron James during our scheduled sit-down last Wednesday in the Heat's practice gym inside American Airlines Arena . . . and that's just an appetizer.
"So," I interrupted, "contrary to Magic Johnson's impetuous opinion and popular belief, you and LeBron could play together?"
"Contrary is the operative word," Wade accentuated, all gleam. "We can play together."
Sense a two-man game in the works? A stacking of the deck?
This was my first time interviewing Wade one-on-one, I'm embarrassed to admit. Considering the less than favorable conditions -- no accrued trust, restricted (20-to-25) minutes rationed by the Heat's publicity department, crushing my usual pre-conversation concept of foreplay -- I didn't expect he would give up much more than the predictable pabulum.
Shows how little I know Wade. Friendly and forthright, he's the opposite of your typical programmed pin-up player who answers questions that weren't asked with cliches.
Appreciatively, Wade doesn't mind amplifying on sensitive subjects. There's no shutdown after a sentence or two, no creation of awkward silence that pressures you to move on to something else. Instead, he expands with no prodding and furnishes you with more than you are en led to know.
Not once did Wade say "off the record."
Before we refocus on the pending possibility of LeBron and Wade patrolling the perimeter together (as they did in a gold medal-winning cause in the Beijing Olympics), let's revisit Heat management's premeditated determination this season to tread talent in the middle of the pool rather than contend for a championship by surpassing the luxury-tax buoy -- or add any salary to next season's $30M cap -- like the Lakers, Celtics, Spurs, Magic, Mavericks, Nuggets, Hornets, Suns, Jazz, Wizards and, ahem, Cavaliers.
For owner Mickey Arison and team president Pat Riley consciously to squander Wade's superlatives for 82 games -- perhaps his last season in South Beach -- and not think he would take exception to it must mean they are pretty confident they have got him on tap for 2010-11 and beyond and believe they've got a legit chance to recruit LeBrontosaurus.
"I do want to stay," Wade said, repeating a mantra he's chanted almost every day since training camp. "However, I'm open-minded. I want to win! I want that! When we got Shaq I said, 'All right, we're trying to win it all now.' When he left, our direction changed.
"I understand the business side. I would've wanted us to make moves for someone who'll help us now and be here for the future, too.
"But I understand the plan. I'm willing to take a wait-and-see approach. I'm not the kind of guy who's going to cry to the media. It's Mickey's and Pat's job to figure it out. My job is play ball. I'm not putting pressure on them. I'm not putting a gun to their heads. I'm not saying it's got to be this way or else.
"I just want to make sure we'll be in position to compete for a le. I just want to make sure they bring in the beef.
"Is it frustrating at times? Yes, it is! I'm not in compe ion with Kobe, but then again I am. I want to be in that elite group that wins multiple les."
Wade and James met in early June 2003 at the NBA's pre-draft Chicago camp. They clicked immediately. As the seasons passed, their friendship away from the game got stronger. But it wasn't until the summer of 2006 that they began to conspire; a plot was hatched to become teammates someday, perhaps.
Carmelo Anthony had signed a traditional five-year extension with the Nuggets. They also got five years but demanded and received an early out after the fourth season.
"Before we agreed to terms, LeBron and I had a couple conversations," Wade said. "I can't recall exactly what we said, but the gist of it was we wanted to give ourselves the flexibility and the option to play together.
"A lot of times in this league, players usually wind up going where they can get the most money. We're both blessed within that area. We've made a lot of money. So we wanted to base our decision on two things, the organization and the ability to win a le. And that's what we'll do. When the season is over, we plan to sit down and talk about it.
"I'm not saying it will happen. But I'm intrigued by the idea.
"I probably couldn't have handled playing with someone like LeBron earlier in my career, but I'm older now. You're talking about two big egos and meshing them. That'd take a lot of sacrifice on LeBron's part and it'd take a lot of sacrifice on my part to succeed. But we would succeed because we know winning takes care of everything."
Wade was really hyped at this point.
"For the first time, maybe the only time in our careers, we control our destiny. What do you think about that? That's the coolest thing about it."
Representing Team USA twice previously to 2008, Wade also found out he couldn't play with stars.
"Our personalities grated," Wade said. "That's why I say LeBron and I can play together. Our personalities work. Being on the court with him makes me unselfish."
"The options, that's what excites me about this. I like that you think it can't be this team [the Bulls] or that team [the Nets], yet another team [the Knicks] makes sense to you."
In Sunday's column, Wade had all but ruled out joining LeBron in lovely downtown Cleveland.
"I'd like to play here, but I don't mind where it is as long the organization is a good fit and it's committed to competing for championships. The unknown has me intrigued."
Labron and Dwade
or
Dwade and Labron?
I cant imagine that.
There is only one basketball
Cue Lebron cant win without Wade comments.
kome and shaq won 3 les. so whats your point?
anyway i hope phil jackson coaches this duo. because he is the best in handling superstars/egos.
Wasnt it you ( Laker fans) saying that you need a fully stacked team to win a championship
Exactly!
LeBron and Wade both average 5 or more assists so that wouldnt be a problem
stfu, Kobe cant win without Shaq and Gasol/odom
thanks for proving my point.stfu, Kobe cant win without Shaq and Gasol/odom
this is a duo that actually could work, because they are both pretty unselfish players.
yes...you need a team to win. so what?
and your saying LeBron cant win without Wade. By puttin Wade on same team is makin a good team.
did i say that?
Hahaha owned. Man, Lakers fans are so dense.
Great post!
If this happens im probably done with the NBA....
would be great if i acutally said that...go back on MiamiHeat and talk to yourself.
^ Yes you said it
, I said "Cue" you illiterate . Now STFU.
Nigeria please, we all know what you meant.
No one would watch that , 60 free-throws a game ain't interesting.
Truth gets you mad?
Im Sorry
LOL...Lebron fan fails at reading comprehension.
how about all the nasty dunks, blocks, assists etc... i bet people would watch that.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
