Jun 15, 2014; San Antonio, TX, USA; Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade (3) drives against San Antonio Spurs guard Kawhi Leonard (2) in game five of the 2014 NBA Finals at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Dwyane Wade has been the face of the Miami Heat ever since he was drafted by the team in 2003. Not only did he lead them to their first championship in franchise history, but he also aided in the back-to-back championship run with LeBron James.
The Heat knew they weren’t going to let Wade walk away. Pat Riley made it known that he has been the cornerstone of the franchise ever since he joined the team. Riley stated that Wade “has shown commitment to the Heat many times over the course of his career and has always been willing to sacrifice in order to help build this team into a champion.”
Wade ended up taking a pay-cut in order to help the Heat sign free agents to make them stronger. The deal is reportedly worth around $31 million over the next two years. Wade is happy to be back in Miami for two more years.