Dwyane Wade, in his first season of the post-LeBron James era, was able to stay relatively healthy despite carrying a heavier burden on both sides of the floor. He played 62 games over the course of the 2014-15 season, which is an increase from the 54 gam

Wade, in his first season of the post-LeBron James era, was able to stay relatively healthy despite carrying a heavier burden on both sides of the floor. He played 62 games over the course of the 2014-15 season, which is an increase from the 54 games he played last season, and averaged 21.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 32 minutes per game.

Analysis:

As expected, Wade will exercise his player option for the 2015-16 season and return to the Heat, as at 33-years-old, he will take all the money he can get. However, it is clear that Wade's on-court effectiveness is on the decline. Not only did he play a career-low 32 minutes per game, but he also shot just 47 percent from the field, which is his lowest mark since his rookie season when he shot 46.5 percent. But, despite the aging, Wade was still best when playing in back-to-back games, compared to games where he had multiple days of rest, where he averaged 22.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.9 assists. And while Wade had some spurts where he put up big games statistically, he was not consistent enough to be a very reliable week-to-week fantasy option, as he finished as the 95th ranked player for 8-category rotisserie leagues. With Chris Bosh (chest) expected to make a full recovery in time for next season and Goran Dragic expected to re-sign with the team this summer, it is very possible that Wade sees a decline in how much of the offensive burden is put on him. Nevertheless, as long as he stays healthy, Wade will without-a-doubt be a key piece for Miami next year as they look to improve on their standing in the Eastern Conference with a revamped roster.