ORLANDO -- Miami's Dwyane Wade just raised the intrigue -- and opened a world of possibilities -- over his pending free agency when he was asked Wednesday afternoon who he really would like to play with in the NBA.Wade will become an unrestricted free agent this summer, allowing him to play anywhere he wants.
"If I could pick one player in the league today to play with -- and most people think I'd say LeBron James -- I would pick Dwight (Howard)," Wade told FanHouse Wednesday after practice at Amway Arena. "I'd love for that to happen at some point. Dwight is already close right here in Orlando. People who say it couldn't happen (us playing on the same team), they don't know. I've learned in this league that anything is possible."
Wade and his Heat teammates are in Orlando to play the Magic Wednesday night. He and Howard spent considerable time together last summer at the Olympic Games, then this summer filming both a T-Mobile commercial and a movie that will be released soon.
Wade already played in Miami with former Magic center Shaquille O'Neal, and they won the 2006 NBA title together. Howard has replaced O'Neal -- now in Cleveland -- as the league's best big man. Although Wade won the league's scoring title last season, the Heat have struggled since O'Neal's departure in 2008.
"I've played with a dominant center before, and there's nothing like it. It changes the whole game. It's why I'd love to play with Dwight. He's a phenomenal center who has only just scratched the surface of where he'll be," Wade said. "And he's the type of guy you'd really like to be around."
Despite Wade putting Howard atop his wish-list, making it work under the NBA's salary cap would be difficult. Only a handful of teams will have the salary cap space to fit Wade onto their roster this summer. The Magic are not one of those teams.
To obtain him, the Magic would have to send an estimated $18 million worth of player salaries to Miami as part of a sign-and-trade deal this summer. The Magic do have forward Rashard Lewis and guard Vince Carter, who will be making $20.5 and $17.1 million, respectively next season.
"I bet Vince Carter never thought he'd be playing one day with Dwight. I never thought I'd have the chance to play with Shaquille O'Neal, but it happened," Wade said. "It happened in Boston, with KG, (Kevin Garnett), Ray Allen and Paul Pierce all coming together.
Magic general manager Otis Smith is not permitted to discuss pending free agency for another team's players, according to NBA rules but the idea certainly intrigues him.
"I said from Day One that I wanted to be in Miami, that maybe I could get certain players to come to Miami, but at the same time, this is my only chance at free agency," Wade said. "There are a lot of possibilities out there. And nothing is impossible."
Comments (Page 1 of 2)
D-Y-N-A-S-T-Y.
scary but .....
They are playing tonight 11-25-09 ;
There are other reason why Wade
wants to play with Howard instead
of Lebron , watch the game.
I think Wade will end up staying in Miami and be the local hero for the rest of his life. there is a good chance that the Heat will get the right supporting cast to make them a contender for years to come. Beasley is improving game by game and one other top player will put them in the same category as the Lakers, Magic and Celtics.
Wade and Howard would be scary, but I'd still put my money on Bryant and Gasol. Sorry, Kobe's better than Wade and Gasol's better than Howard. Now Wade and Yao Ming might be a little more dangerous.
Flow theres only 1 word to describe you and thats a dumb*** to think Gasol is better that Howard. Just my 2 cents. But wade, carter and howard would be great
Kobe's 4 years older than Wade, and Gasol is 6 years older than Howard. Kobe and Gasol may be more dominant for the next three or four years, but after that?
The only problem is that because both Wade and Howard will demand maximum contracts, which will make it more difficult to sign good supporting players. They are not like Artest, Ginobili, Duncan or some of the others who really did put winning before money.
gasol better than howard HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH......HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
lol, any1 that thinks wade will go to orlando is on crack. yea, anything can happen in this league. im sure what wade meant by that is magic never winning the nba championship and howard eventually giving up on the team, like shaq, and joining miami down the line.
oh yea, and magic is "FAR" from a dynasty lol. im sure that comment was made by a brand new magic fan that all of a sudden just jumped on the bacd wagon.
The Heat has already cleared major cap room for the upcoming free agent binge, With the plans to resign Wade and add another big name free agent(LeBron?) to add to the core of Haslem, Chalmers and Beasley. All they need is a true center and they could be a dynasty in the making!
Gasol better than Howard, not a chance, Howard is just beginning to find his game. He is now the best big man in the game. He is young and only going to get better, which is bad new's for the East. Wade and LeBron would never play together, no one could afford both, and I would take LeBron over Wade any day. Even with LeBron staying in Cleveland, and idiot new York sportwriters don't have a clue when talking about Cleveland and LeBron, the Cav's will have room under the cap and an owner who , as proven will sign the talent, and like everyone else, it's a powerfull big man that scores point's inside and plays great defense. Shaq is a welcome addition but it greatly changes team chemistry, between Shaq and the aged and often injured Z, they should get some quality play on the inside, which they have lacked. Vince Carter would be a welcome addition also, with the problems of Delonte West. Cleveland has as much chance to spell D-Y-N-A-S-T-Y with the addition of a scoring point guard, as James at 6'8", and his build, and still a very young man, can play inside and out with anyone as he proved aginst Howard in last years Playoff's. James game didn't miss a beat, the entire rest of the team folded, and Z and Sideshow Bob, overated Varajao, folded like paper against Howard.
rael writes, Pau Gasol better then Howard ?
not a chance ??? chance, rael;
Pau Gasol not only the best center
in the NBA but in the world ;
In 2002 (1st year, NBA) Gasol ROY;
In 2003 Champions in Euro-league;
In 2004 Spain, champions of the world;
In 2005 Memphis wins 50 + games
In 2006 Memphis again wins 55 games
In 2008 Gasol signs with LA ( february)
In 2008 Spain silver medal(olympics)
In 2009 Gasol NBA champions (LA)
In 2009 Spain, champions of the world (MVP)
A 7 footer that can pass like no other
in the history of the game ( team-player)
that can move his feet like no other
that can shoot with either hand, a defensive
player by nature but avobe all a humble big
man with a tremendous IQ for the game;
Bottom line, the best center right now
in the NBA and in the world that is,
Howard an excellent player at 6,11 with
a leaping ability like no other and very
strong (muscle) and they call him, superman
but a Gasol he is not, not yet, chance rael.
Correction = above , higher or greater than.
gasol is a forward and howard a center gasol is a better player all around by far passes runs floor and can shoot howard is the new shaq can only dunk and rebound hes great dont get me wrong but he needs to develop a shot we all saw orlando vs la didnt we u tell me. as for lebron and wade never happen they dont fit well just like shaq and lebron lebron cant play post game worth a damn he just WADDLES LIKE A DUCK to the hole and dunks or gets fouled and he is a huge crybaby he will never be a champion he has 3 years left with his size style and present skills to win then its downhill for him he will be 30 and lose a lot of those traits KOBE KOBE KOBE he is sweet smooth got good footwork and rules the post for a guard ill take kobe mello and wade over LETWAN any day of the week
why hate on lebron? u really dont know basketball, we have done been to the finals with lbj and will b back there plenty with lbj.... lets c mello go once homo
To compare Howard to a young Shaq is insulting. Yes, Howard is an amazingly athletic specimen the way Shaq was in his youth, but that's where the similarities end.
Shaq was primarily an offensive player who, because of his size and athleticism could block a few shots and rebound quite well.
Howard, on the other hand, is a good rebounder who can't shoot, can't dribble and has virtually no low-post moves. His defense is overrated, and he relies too much on his athleticism for everything he does.
I do wonder how much upside Howard has, as he seems to be more interested in developing his physique than developing his game. Does he have the mindset to become a champion? Shaq certainly did.
this is boogus... wade is staying in miami... its all about money... gasol is good but at the end of both carrers dwight howard will have more championships.. wright has much more value then gasol.. wade and howard vs kobe and gasol... .. i do beleive nowitski is much better then gasol
no way wade is going to the magic... at the end of the day its all about money and miami has the most cap space plus contractual agreement over 6 years.. nowitski is better then gasol... but howard is much more vaule then any center..
if orlando doesnt win it this year maybe howard might demand trade...
James, God is not named Dwyane Wade or Dwight Howard. If God played basketball he could score a gazillion points and hit thousands of home runs over a million miles. Next, shame on you Miami fans if you don't attend Heat games. Wade will have no choice but to leave. Yes no one wants to see the Marlins but the Heat are a whole different ballgame. If Wade leaves you have no one to blame for but yourselves.
nowitski is also better than howard but he is a forward as well dirk is different than gasol in that he shoots 3's gasol does not orlando has no shot this year its atlanta or boston unless injuries intervene vs lakers with a slight possibility of denver making it in