Miami Heat
The homecoming the entire NBA world would love to see. Wade left after being at odds with management after Pat Riley and company were reluctant to pay the greatest player in the history of their franchise what he wanted.
Obviously, Wade is deeply connected to the city of Miami, as the man is nothing short of royalty in the city. The fans would welcome him back with open arms. He presumably would conclude his career in the city in which he rose to fame.
The team could sure use Wade’s help too. They missed out on the postseason even though their record was equal to Wade’s Bulls at the eight spot. If Wade went back to South Beach, the Heat would almost certainly return to the playoffs.
Although it’s doubtful that Chris Bosh will ever suit up for an NBA game again, the Heat still have some pieces to work with. Goran Dragic and Hassan Whiteside will be returning and Dion Waiters could accept his player option to remain in town as well. If he does, he’d likely be in some sort of timeshare with James Johnson unless Johnson is bumped to the four.
If Johnson does indeed slide down, the presumed lineup would be Dragic, Wade, Waiters, Johnson and Whiteside. That team could be ready to make a run in the Eastern Conference. Unfortunately, this arrangement probably would be for naught, as the Cavaliers and Celtics would still likely own the rest of the conference. Not every homecoming can end in an NBA Championship.