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Heading into the 2015 NBA offseason, Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat appear to be at an impasse regarding his contract situation. With the veteran shooting guard expected to opt out and test free agency, the Los Angeles Lakers have reportedly entered the mix to sign Wade.
While most rumors right now have Wade joining LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix mentioned some serious mutual interest between the 33-year-old guard and the Lakers.
While many execs still see Wade/Heat as contract saber rattling, a Wade option will be the Lakers. Mutual interest, per league sources.
— Chris Mannix (@ChrisMannixSI) June 21, 2015
It’s certainly an interesting option for the Lakers, but it’s also one the team shouldn’t take too seriously.
The Lakers are already spending an exorbitant amount of money on Kobe Bryant — who also plays shooting guard. The future Hall of Famer is set to count $25 million against the cap, which will limit the team’s options this offseason despite the surprising number of contracts that came off the books after the 2014-15 season ended. So why would spending another exorbitant amount of money on another aging scorer help the Lakers return to relevance?
As we saw last season, Wade is nearing the end of his illustrious career. The sensational scorer has lost a step or five over the past few years as his injury-prone knees continue to deteriorate. Although Wade would still bring some solid production, leadership and experience to the Los Angeles roster, he’s no longer worth top dollar in terms of NBA talent.
Especially with so many exciting young players set to hit the open market — LaMarcus Aldridge, Jimmy Butler (restricted), DeAndre Jordan to name a few — the Lakers should spend their money on someone who can provide more long-term value.
Lakers fans will certainly find the mutual interest exciting, especially after how uneventful 2014 free agency was for the Purple and Gold. However, signing Wade isn’t the move the Lakers need to make in order to return to contender status.
Let’s hope Mitch Kupchak knows better, and avoids overpaying for the aging Wade this offseason.
