Why LeBron James and Dwyane Wade Shouldn’t Play Together
Think about LeBron James and Dwyane Wade on the same squad, forming what could possibly the most talented duo in NBA. Better yet, imagine them playing for the Knicks together or the soon-to-be Brooklyn Nets. It would be a marketing jackpot. Picture them running the break together, taking turns throwing lobs to each other. It’s good to dream, but does it make any sense?
As of late, there has been a lot of talk about these two joining forces next year, and there will continue to be talk from now until July. James is clearly sick of talking about it, he told the media yesterday that he will no longer answer questions about him and D-Wade playing together. Wade, on the other hand, admitted the two have talked about it but also indicated that the pipe dream is a “long shot.”
Miami has the cap room to sign both guys to max deals. New York can’t max out two guys, but James has stated in the past that money is not the top factor and would consider taking a pay cut to be with a winner. But even if it’s possible financially, it could be a bad move for both of them. Trying to stack talent or buying championships doesn’t always work. Remember when Karl Malone andGary Payton jumped on the Lakers train? Remember how that turned out?
As we learned from Kobe and Shaq, there isn’t always room for two franchise players on one team. Egos are too big and legacy’s are at stake. Although LeBron is not selfish, I don’t think it could be a Pippen and Jordan situation, I can’t imagine either playing second fiddle to each other. It would make one of them less marketable if they went from being the man to a sidekick. I know each would want to be the face of the franchise and each would want to create their own legacy.
A lot of people might argue that they worked well together while they were Olympic teammates and LeBron would sacrifice points and be more of the point guard, while Wade would be more of the primary scorer. Wade and LeBron each require having the ball in their hands the majority of the game, whether it is to create their own shots or drive and kick for their teammates. Plus, I feel they are basically the same position and there aren’t too many high scoring go-to wings who can compliment each other’s games.
LeBron and Amar’e teaming up could work, so could Wade and Chris Bosh. I could even see LeBron and Joe Johnson possibly playing together. But two superstars that are considered brands like LeBron and Wade? No chance.
What do you think? Should Wade and LeBron play together?
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November 13th, 2009 at 9:38 am
LukeCage22 says:
First
And I would still love to see em play together!!!
November 13th, 2009 at 9:40 am
The REAL Tyrone says:
Ain’t no doubt y’all that Dime be talkin shit again yo. Kobe and Shaq ain’t be workin together cos they both be needin da attention yo. Lebron and Wade ain’t like that – both cats wld be gettin attention and be gettin them ‘chips. Who b writin this shit yo??
True thugs NEVER lie.
The REAL Tyrone
November 13th, 2009 at 9:42 am
LukeCage22 says:
The Karl Malone/Gary Payton on the Lakers example is a bad one. I do remember how it turned out. They made it all the way to the NBA Finals. If either Miami or New York made it to the NBA Finals with Lebron and Wade on the same squad they’d probably win. This arguement is weeak!
November 13th, 2009 at 9:47 am
Notorious says:
Exactly, both Malone and Payton were washed up veterans trying to snatch a ring before calling it a career. They weren’t two superstars heading into their prime.
Not to mention they only lost to Detroit because Kobe went crybaby mode and pouted around the court. Purposely not shooting or trying to score to prove some childish point. Remember it well, it was when I lost all respect for Kobe as a player.
November 13th, 2009 at 9:47 am
Logan Light says:
I hear you Gerald. Their games don’t really compliment one another as well as we would all like to imagine. But I do think that you are missing something on the ‘legacy’ point. Have you ever considered that they might want their legacy to be playing with one another? To dominate for years and years… to put a dynasty that would CREATE the tag team to be compared to? We like to think that Mike and Scottie or John and Karl are the prototypical tag teams in NBA history (and indeed they are), but what if that was redesigned?
Don’t you think that both Wade and James, as brands, would be interested in that? Don’t you think NIKE would market the heck out of them – as teammates?
My argument here is not that it would work, just that I can see D Wade and LeBron opting in for the chance to make it work. A challenge like that never scared away a true champion.
LL
November 13th, 2009 at 9:47 am
LakersFan says:
Yeah they need to play together to stand a chance against kobe, cuz everyone knows one of them cant take down kobe and the lakers
November 13th, 2009 at 9:53 am
SWAT says:
good god…can we pls ban Tyrone from this site…?
but dont yall think the chance of having a dynasty would be somewht of an influence on these cats?
November 13th, 2009 at 9:54 am
SWAT says:
LOL- my bad logan. u had already mentioned the dynasty idea…
November 13th, 2009 at 10:03 am
karizmatic says:
You’re crazy Wade and LBJ can and should play on the same team together. I truly believe that they could both still get similar numbers to what they are getting alone on the same team. I’d love to see that team go up against the Lakers or the Celtics. Furthermore it would be a great challenge for both of them to mesh as a team and the wins aren’t guaranteed it would also be interesting to see how the league re aligns to combat such a force. It would be good marketing, good for the league, and good for them. Could you imagine it. The brands wouldn’t be affected by it, there would still be debates forever about who is truly the better player.
November 13th, 2009 at 10:05 am
Diggity Dave says:
Malone and Payton were washed up by that point, not the same thing. Lebron and Wade would form a dynasty for the ages.
Honestly, Lebron would be foolish NOT to play in Miami. The only reason I can see him staying with the Cavs is because he’s sentimental about his home state. Danny Ferry has tried and tried again to put a championship team around Lebron, but it hasn’t worked out.
Riley is going to put a superstar player next to Wade, whether it’s Lebron, Bosh, Amare, Boozer, Johnson. He has enough money to add a superstar, and a lesser star. Once that happens, the Heat are going to be an incredibly dangerous team.
As for New York, why would Lebron leaving a winning team to go to a MASSIVE rebuilding situation, where they can’t even keep their inevitable top 5 pick?
November 13th, 2009 at 10:17 am
F.L.A.S.H. says:
that would instantly form the most over-dribbling/ worst 3pt shooting 2-3 duo in the league
November 13th, 2009 at 10:21 am
Chaos says:
They could play together definitely ply together…its the other players on the team that would have to accept the attention that they would get and the fact that they would have to be roll players. the make up of the team would definitely have to be right. another shooter at least. a serviceable center who can board and block shots, a rebounding bruising pf, a athletic wing and an unselfish pg
November 13th, 2009 at 10:30 am
gilford22 says:
I agree with F.L.A.S.H. Neither of them can consistently hit threes and they play the 2 and 3 position.
November 13th, 2009 at 10:44 am
Jason says:
I think Lebron and Wade have ball in their hands to create because that is the best option to score. If they were on the same team they would work it out. Imagine a Wade-Lebron pick and roll. How would you stop that?
November 13th, 2009 at 10:57 am
MoJo says:
True thugs are in PRISON and can’t speak english.
The REAL Tyrone.
Oh, and I agree, they could make it work. Their situation would be one of a kind, you can not compare it to anything that the league has ever seen before.
November 13th, 2009 at 11:17 am
Rare Air says:
@ REAL
D wade is not an attention fiend, but Bron for damn sure is! Lmao at the Kobe and Shaq reference, they really could not freaking stand each other towards the end.
Back to the topic, it would be cool to see but honestly I see D Wade getting real sick and tired of Bron always grasping for the limelight, unless D could fade back I dont know if this works. All fantasy and speculation at this point.
D Wade is gonna stay living Miami Vice, its a good fit, only thing better would be Chi-City, him and D Rose? That would be awesome.
November 13th, 2009 at 11:40 am
. says:
@7 – ditto the Tyrone ban
November 13th, 2009 at 11:43 am
Arrogant says:
I agree with Gerald.
the smartest move for Miami is to get someone who compliments wade Chalmers and beasley. I think the best fit to make them the best in the league is Amare or Bosh.
And as Much as Lebron wants to talk, He is wanting a Max Deal. And the choices of where he will be will come down to Chicago, New York, Miami or stay in Cleveland.
November 13th, 2009 at 11:45 am
dial up says:
WOULD create the most ball-hoggin team ever assembled. Both wades and lebron wouldn’t even reach 5 assist 5rbounds average. They both already play pg for their teams, and have the ball intheir hands 24/7 when their out there. So no, it would work as much as an a.i., melo backcourt would. A lotta jacking shots, not so much winning.
ps. tryone, – they are attention seeking people, you white loser.
November 13th, 2009 at 11:53 am
SagJism says:
Dwade, LBJ, 5 years later, old Kobe joins them with Tayshaun Prince and Chris Bosh, Olympic squad in the NBA killing all kats.
November 13th, 2009 at 11:54 am
Anthony says:
worst article i’ve ever read. not a single valid point made against the duo. how can you compare bringing four hall of famers together(two of which were at the end of their careers) to bringing together lebron and wade. Then you conceed the olmypic argument without even rebutting it. futhermore, they are good friends and would not clash. however, idea of these two superstars fighting would be marketing heaven. the american consumer couldn’t get enough of shaq and kobe fighting. lakers ratings went through the roof. and when shaq split, everyone in america tuned in to see miami and la play. having the two best players in league on the same team is a marketing cash cow. them not getting along simply amplifies media attention. poorly written article. lebron and wade would be unstoppable together. everyone knows that. stop trying to be profound when there is no evidence to support your case. you just sound stupid
November 13th, 2009 at 11:54 am
K Dizzle says:
Last I saw, Mike and Scottie were a 2/3 that were bad 3 point shooters at the same age.
This article annoys me. Great players wanna play with great players.
There’s a reason KG and Ray are happy in Boston
- Pau in LA with Kobe
- Duncan, Manu and TP in San An
- VC goin to Orlando to team up with Dwight
Flash been to the top and wanna get back (unless you think he was happy with the 15 win season 2 years ago)
Bron is obviously still pissed about the Orlando whoopin from last season. Why wouldn’t he team up with his boy and destroy the league?
Anybody who thinks those two wouldn’t compliment each other needs to put down the pipe. You got 2 guys that could put up trip-doubs daily. They both get blocks and steals and are both unselfish, but can put up 50 when they on.
As a Laker fan, I don’t wanna see this, but as a hoops fan, hell yeah!
November 13th, 2009 at 11:54 am
charlie says:
Ron Harper played with MJ
November 13th, 2009 at 11:58 am
weezy f says:
this article was written by an idiot
November 13th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
jay says:
nice to talk about bout but i doubt this comes to fruitation. i see bosh head to south beach..not sure what happens but at the end of the day i see king james stay in cleveland after all the noise to drum up ratings on tnt and jalen yapping in the studio!
November 13th, 2009 at 12:16 pm
mavs all the way says:
hey, good job Gerald. you’ve been putting up real good articles. keep it up.
and yeah, i agree. these two can’t be on the same squad together other than the Dream Team or All-Star or the likes.
Same goes for Matt Bonner and Scalabrine. oh wait
November 13th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
scotsman says:
hate to say it but i think this article is retarded. you are basically saying that both these guys are too full of themselves to play as a team. i think thats just plain wrong. both of them want to win titles which means it will work for at least a couple of seasons before tensions start to build.
that being said…i dont think it will happen.
November 13th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
MissChick says:
Good article and good points of view made. Look how both players play their offensive game. They demand the ball in their hands at top of the key or from the wing and then drive to the basket and get a layup/fouled/or kick out (James) and drive to the basket/layup//fouled/pull up jumper (wade). If one of the players could develop more of a post presence, it might work, but at their current stage, they play way too similiar of a game. Great on paper, but may not turn out great in actual games.
A better fit for James would for him to come to the Lakers and play with Kobe. Kobe in the post and James on the wing/PG would be a BETTER combo than James/Wade. As Kobe exits his prime and James enters his prime and takes Kobe’s place, they could be the best combo EVER.
November 13th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
LAballer says:
the payton/malone thing didnt work for two reasons
payton could not grasp the triangle and it fit terribly with his play
and
the main reason was an injury..malone got injured in the western finals and couldnt go in the finals i believe..our backup PF..SASHA MEDVEDENKO..if any team ever wins the chip with that fool as a starter..they deserve two rings each..
otherwise..the lakers locked it that year too
November 13th, 2009 at 1:40 pm
johnsacrimoni says:
Wade and LeBron play the 2/3 but they don’t always have to. Wade can play the point for extended periods and LeBron can basically play any position on the floor. So no matter who you put around them, they’re both versatile enough to fill in anywhere (except maybe center).
November 13th, 2009 at 1:44 pm
uh huh says:
Can’t wait. The N.B.A. is in trouble. Better start forging some friendships now.
November 13th, 2009 at 1:55 pm
chriscrosstopher says:
LeBron could easily average a triple double with Wade to kick it out to. Multiple championships. Multiple coMVP awards.
November 13th, 2009 at 7:43 pm
gigi says:
so how about cleveland signs one of the free agents if they want to keep lebron in the city? him and amare can team up and tear shit down.