On a recent episode of "The OGs" podcast, Dwyane Wade revealed some important information on how the Miami Heat's Big 3 was formed in 2010 and how he felt leaving Miami for Chicago in 2016.
Wade said he almost left Miami before LeBron called
When asked about the creation of the Big 3 in 2010, Wade revealed that it was mostly LeBron James' idea and that he was almost out the door after two rebuilding seasons in Miami.
"I was actually leaving Miami at that time," Wade said. "I wanted to be a part of a team that could win... But I got that call from [LeBron James]."
This was shocking. I've never heard Wade say he was looking to leave Miami after seven seasons. Wade said he was looking to go back home to Chicago to play for the Bulls but that LeBron James called him and changed his mind.
You can add this to the list of some of the biggest "what ifs" in NBA history. What would the Miami Heat look like if Wade left for Chicago? No Big 3, no championships in 2012 and 2013. It seems like a bad dream.
Another nugget was that Mike Miller, a free agent then, said he was going to the Los Angeles Lakers until James called him and convinced him to sign with Miami. Udonis Haslem shared that he thought he was leaving Miami until the Big 3 took a pay cut to bring him back.
Wade and Haslem talk about LeBron leaving Miami
Haslem shared that he wasn't surprised when James left in 2014. Haslem said he saw, "the writing on the wall."
"That four years was very successfully and stressful," Haslem said.
Wade said "the wheels were falling off" in the fourth year but that he was more taken aback by how the Heat organization treated James during his 2014 decision.
"I don't think it was handled well and I was surprised about that," Wade said.
Another surprising quote from Wade was that he was surprised how much Pat Riley got into his feelings when James left, even saying he and Riley got into it during a practice.
Miami fans were upset when LeBron James left the team. They felt it was particularly cold that he announced his departure via Instagram. However, his exit from Cleveland to come to Miami was also seen as abrupt. The Miami organization and Pat Riley were shocked by James's decision to leave, and it took several years for the team to fully move on from his departure.
Dwyane Wade could have come back to Miami after Chicago, but he was heartbroken
In the summer of 2016, Wade left Miami to sign with his hometown Chicago Bulls. He said part of the motivation for leaving was how the Heat treated him that summer. Wade said he wanted the "ride off into the sunset contract."
"'I deserve it , motherf***er.' That's how I was feeling."
"I was heartbroken," Wade continued. "I thought I did everything. I thought I was the pillar. And I thought then I should’ve been rewarded for that. I left because how they handled and treated me."
It's understandable why Dwyane Wade was upset with Miami during that free agency period. Wade is synonymous with the Miami Heat, and he felt he deserved a contract as a token of appreciation for everything he had done for the city and the organization. He perceived a lack of respect from Miami. Fast forward to today, and Miami has honored Wade with a statue outside the arena, retired his jersey number, and welcomed him back to play his final season with the team a year later.
