Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade retired one season before the team made a run to the NBA Finals to face LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers
Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade thought he had the perfect ending to his NBA career.
After 16 seasons, he was able to hold a retirement tour in his final season. He even called it, "One Last Dance" to commemorate his Hall of Fame career. Wade's feelings changed once the Heat made an improbable run to the Finals the following season during the "bubble" season in Orlando.
"I do not regret the `One Last Dance," Wade said on his network. "It was incredible. But I was in my theater room watching all the `Bubble' games and I was like, `Maybe as a player off the bench that I could play 15 minutes and could just come in. I'm sitting here at the crib and I wouldn't have to travel. My knee wouldn't have swollen as much. When you travel on an airplane, the inflammation, that's why you're out every game. I was like, `Oh, I would've been able to just focus on basketball.' I probably would've been feeling good."'
Behind Jimmy Butler, Goran Dragic, Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo, the Heat advanced to play LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals. They knocked off Giannis Antetokounpo and the Milwaukee Bucks and the Jayson Tatum-led Boston Celtics along the way.
The Heat lost to the Lakers in six games but Wade still feels he could have been the difference in winning a title. He was coming off a retirement season where he was still effective. As a role player, Wade could have filled in for relief for Butler and Dragic were on the bench.
"I probably would've been the missing piece," Wade said. "But I also was done. Obviously, that does cross your mind. I was a competitor. I saw us get to the championship in the bubble. Jimmy was just incredible and I felt like he needed just a little bit more help. I felt like I was actually that little more help just sitting on my couch."
There's no telling if Wade would have helped but his presence may have led to another Heat title.
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Shandel Richardson is the publisher of HeatRoundtable. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com