The Los Angeles Lakers are expected to be one of the major players in free agency and will have plenty of cap room to offer to a number of players. One name who has come up recently is Miami Heat guard, Dwyane Wade.
— Have you seen the ‘Bleed Purple and Gold’ phone case? —
Wade is currently embroiled in a contract dispute with the Heat and according to Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated, there is mutual interest between the two parties:
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
Signing Wade would not be a move geared towards the future as Wade is now 33 years old and entering the downside of his career. However, the Lakers are planning on spending their money and if the team strikes out on the younger big names available, they could opt for a short-term option with Wade.
It still seems highly unlikely at this stage that Wade would leave the Heat, whom he has helped lead to three NBA Championships and is arguably the best player in that franchise’s history. If the two sides are unable to come to an agreement, however, the Lakers could very well come calling as the front office is looking to make a splash.
Wade has played in less than 70 games in each of the last four seasons, including 62 last year. He was effective when on the floor, averaging 21.2 points and 4.8 assists in nearly 32 minutes per night.
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