Wade’s best shot at landing in Cleveland is negotiating a buyout, which will likely cost him some of his $23.8 million salary.
There’s a good chance that Dwyane Wade will join the Cleveland Cavaliers and reunite with LeBron James in pursuit of another NBA championship at some point this season, Cleveland.com’s Joe Vardon said on a podcast with colleague Chris Fedor.
How Wade could join the Cavaliers
Wade’s most viable option to joining forces with LeBron is to accept a buyout offer from the Bulls. He and Chicago management would have to come to agreement on a portion of his $23.8 million salary acceptable for both sides to part ways.
The second route is unattractive: a trade. The Bulls could, in theory, trade Wade straight-up to the Cavaliers. But that deal would likely include Kevin Love to match salary, which is not an equal return for Cleveland.
Why Wade wouldn’t join the Cavaliers
The Chicago Tribune’s K.C. Johnson reported that any buyout between the Bulls and Wade has to be “advantageous” for Chicago. That likely means Wade would end up leaving a good chunk of change on the table. That’s a tough pill to swallow for the same player who left Miami to seek better financial compensation elsewhere.
Odds Wade ends up in Cleveland: 9/10
At 35 years old, Wade doesn’t have time to rebuild. His career is about championships, and his best shot to win another one is right alongside LeBron. He’ll have to leave some of his salary on the table, and that’ll sting, but nothing eases the pain more than competitive, potentially championship-caliber basketball.
And for Wade, that’s only available in Cleveland.