The Cleveland Cavaliers have welcomed their newest player, 12-time All-Star and three-time NBA champion Dwyane Wade. He was expected to practice with the team on Wednesday and make his first media appearance as a Cav on Friday.
Wade has accepted a minimum veteran contract deal for a chance to play with his close friend LeBron James. It will pay him $2.3 million for one year.
Wade and James were teammates in Miami, and James has been in a happy mood this week knowing the deal was about to happen.
“It's kind of like when you start school and you walk in a classroom not quite sure who your classmates is, and when you walk in there, one of your best friends is in there and you're like, ‘Oh yeah, this is gonna be fun. It’s going to be a good class,'" James said on Wednesday. "So that’s the feeling I’ve got. “
Wade will turn 36 year old in January. Last year in Chicago he averaged the fewest points since his rookie season. But James he expects Wade to do well with the very talented Cavaliers.
“I think because of the guys playing around him," James said. "You know he doesn’t have to worry about ever seeing a double-team, he doesn’t have to ever worry about taking tough shots. None of us. We have to make tough shots but we don’t have to take them. We have a lot of options- there will be a lot of guys getting open shots or just late-contested shots. “
James has always wanted to play on the same team as Wade and Carmelo Anthony – three friends who began their NBA careers 14 years ago. This season Anthony joined the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Both James and Wade entered the NBA in 2003 and each has won 3 championships.
