Dean Wade satisfies a lot of what the Los Angeles Lakers will be looking for on the wings when the free agency period starts. The Cleveland Cavaliers forward is a versatile defender who can guard multiple positions and is a low-maintenance mouth to feed on the offensive end.
Wade has not always been the steadiest option to stretch the floor, but the percentages for his career do ultimately land him at an above average mark of 36.7 percent from beyond the arc. Coupling that with the defensive upside should make him attractive to several teams.
With Wade set to hit unrestricted free agency, the cap-crushed Cavaliers are expected to have a tough time keeping him. The vultures are circling and there could be money to spare for a player of his caliber. That is what Michael Scotto reported in his latest findings in the offseason lead-up.
"With the Cleveland Cavaliers currently hovering near the second apron, forward Dean Wade could be hard to retain this summer as an unrestricted free agent, with several teams having the non-taxpayer mid-level exception available expected to be interested in him."
Lakers will have plenty of financial rivals for Dean Wade
The Lakers are expected to have cap space this offseason, even if the exact details of how they get there are tricky. That should mean new faces are coming to town.
Even so, with plenty of needs all over the roster, overspending on a single free agent of Wade's caliber would be a tough pill to swallow for the Lakers. They need to spread that money as far and wide as possible.
That is not a dig at Wade, who is a tremendous NBA pro. The Cavs forward is always willing to do the dirty work. That made him an incredibly effective fit in Cleveland this season around all their star power.
Wade defended the point of attack, he played the small-ball five, and he hounded rival team's forwards. On the nights where his shot was falling, the impact was unmissable.
The Lakers need a few of those guys, though. They cannot just settle for one. Building a contender around Luka Doncic calls for a team filled with two-way forces who can deliver. Wade can be a part of that, but not if the money committed to him prevents several more acquisitions in the process.
The hope here should be that no team out there is throwing a full non-taxpayer mid-level exception at Wade. If that is the case, there could be a new home waiting for him in Los Angeles. Otherwise, the Lakers may need to look elsewhere.
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