Dwyane Wade is satisfied with the number of NBA championships he has won, according to an interview he did for SLAM Magazine.
The Chicago Bulls guard made that clear when addressing the fact that he opted against reuniting with friend and former teammate LeBron James in Cleveland during the 2016 NBA offseason. He does not feel pressed to try to capture another NBA title at this stage in his professional career.
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Wade, a Chicago native, signed with his hometown team in July; he accepted a two-year, $47 million offer from the Bulls. In doing so, he also parted ways with a franchise he was fundamental in shaping for more than a decade. Wade changing teams was one of the biggest news stories of the NBA offseason.
The Miami Heat selected Wade with the fifth overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft. Wade would go on to play for Miami for 13 seasons, winning three NBA titles during that span of time. Two of those titles were won while playing alongside James; together they won back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013.
Wade revealed during the interview that he did consider signing with the Cleveland Cavaliers; they were no doubt an option that crossed his mind. After giving it some thought, however, he ultimately chose to sign elsewhere. Wade said the following about his decision:
“I thought about Cleveland, but I didn’t fit there. You don’t just do something because, Oh, I could win the ring there. I have three rings. I don’t need to chase the ring.”
Wade’s comments reveal a lot about the 34-year-old NBA veteran. He is a three-time NBA champion with nothing more to prove at this point in his career; he just wants to continue to play the game of basketball in a situation that he feels is right for him.
The above quote is one of the high points of Wade’s interview, which is a feature story by SLAM Magazine covering his decision to join Chicago during the offseason. Bleacher Report even took to Instagram to post a photo highlighting that portion of the interview. To see Bleacher Report’s post, click here.
As a 30-something NBA veteran, Wade still played at an impressive level during the 2015-16 NBA season. He averaged 19 points, 4.6 assists and 4.1 rebounds in 74 regular-season games. He secured his 12th All-Star selection while leading the Heat to 48 regular-season wins and a berth in the 2016 playoffs.
During the playoffs, the No. 3-seeded Heat overcame a 3-2 series deficit in the first round to defeat the Charlotte Hornets in seven games. The Heat then took the Toronto Raptors to seven games after trailing in that series as well; Miami came up just short of making it to the Eastern Conference Finals. Wade was Miami’s top performer the whole time, upping his statistical averages in the playoffs to 21.4 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.
The Cavaliers, on the other hand, were the best team in the Eastern Conference during the 2015-16 campaign. They won 57 regular-season games and secured the top seed in the East for the playoffs. They defeated the Raptors in six games in the Eastern Conference Finals to advance to the NBA Finals for the second season in a row. The Cavs then overcame a 3-1 deficit in the Finals to defeat the heavily favored Golden State Warriors in seven games; it was their first NBA championship in franchise history. They were led by LeBron James the whole way.
James finished the 2015-16 season as a three-time NBA champ and three-time Finals MVP. He finished third in NBA MVP voting. He was also a First Team All-NBA selection for the 10th time in his career, which ties an all-time record for that accomplishment. The 31-year-old is still in peak form.
As the defending NBA champs, the Cavs are poised to make another title run during the 2016-17 season with James as their unquestioned leader. James is once again expected to be in the MVP conversation, too; he has been given 5-1 odds to win the award, according to Bleacher Report.
Taking the present dominance of James and the Cavs into consideration, it is pretty safe to assume that Wade would have wanted to put himself into position to win a fourth ring had he joined Cleveland. In 2016, however, Wade is no longer tempted by the allure of teaming up with James; he’s been there, done that.
Wade is continuing his career in his hometown. In his own words, it is what he really wanted to do. The “Windy City” has welcomed home one of its own and it is Wade’s preference to be there.
