After faltering in Chicago, Wade has rediscovered himself with Cavs
After an awkward season-long stint with the Chicago Bulls, Dwyane Wade has found success in a role. Now a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Wade is once again a valuable member of a championship-caliber roster.
When Wade signed with the Bulls prior to the 2016-17 season, Chicago believed it was getting a motivated superstar in dire need of a new beginning. What it received was a shell of his former self with a lack of motivation and little interest in blending into the awkward core the Bulls put together.
It's now clear that Wade needed a minimized role. He turns 36 in January and needed his minutes restricted. The sixth-man role often carries a negative perception when applied to superstar-level players. Wade's willingness to accept the role was a good start to what's become a great season, and is something he was unwilling to do in Chicago.
Wade's dealt with a plethora of injuries throughout his career, and after struggling to stay on the court last season - playing in just 60 games - it was difficult to have high hopes for the 12-time All-Star coming into the year.
So far, Cleveland's coaching staff has kept Wade fresh, playing him 23.5 minutes per game. He's missed just one contest and is showing signs of life on the floor, benefiting the roster in ways that the box score may not show.
Wade's per-36 stats
| Season | GP (Starts) | PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-17 | 60 (59) | 22.0 | 5.4 | 4.6 | 43.4 | 31.0 | -1.4 |
| 2017-18 | 22 (3) | 17.4 | 5.8 | 6.0 | 44.5 | 34.6 | 6.2 |
One of the clearest signs that Wade is rejuvenated is his mastery on the defensive end. To put it into perspective, he's playing for the league's fifth-worst defense this season after suiting up for the sixth-best defensive team last season, yet his defensive rating is better this year.
The players around him are better defensively when he's on the floor. Of the Cavaliers' best three-man lineups (minimum 50 minutes), Wade ranks in eight out of the top 10 lines in defensive efficiency.
Wade's on-court efficiency rating
| Season | ORTG | DRTG | NETRTG |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-17 | 103.1 | 105.5 | -2.4 |
| 2017-18 | 110.5 | 103.4 | 7.1 |
Last season, Wade benefited from having defensive-minded teammates such as Jimmy Butler, Taj Gibson, and Robin Lopez. This year, Wade has carried the likes of Kyle Korver, Channing Frye, and Jeff Green to highly rated efficiency stats when they share the floor with the three-time champion.
The bench unit has been spectacular anytime it touches the floor. In 132 minutes played together, Wade, Frye, Green, and Korver have a defensive rating of 94.5 and a net rating of 14.7. With LeBron James uncharacteristically struggling on defense, Wade and the bench have carried a heavy load for the Cavaliers after a rough start to the year.
Cleveland is 16-7 and has been rolling, winning 11 straight games heading into Monday night's contest against the Bulls. It'll be Wade's first appearance in Chicago since last season's playoff debacle, and Bulls fans will get a chance to see Wade flourishing in a manner he was incapable of matching in the Windy City.