Dwyane Wade is reflecting on why he left the Miami Heat in 2016, and according to him, it all came down to feeling undervalued.
During an appearance on the Underground Lounge podcast with Lou Williams and Spank Horton, Wade revealed that despite everything he did for the franchise, ownership refused to give him the contract he deserved.
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“Chris [Bosh] got his max, but Chris ain’t selling no motherf***ing tickets,” Wade said. “They come to see the kid. So pay me my due, and we’ll be good. I ain’t asking for a lot.”
Wade, who opted out of his contract in hopes of securing a long-term deal, even attempted to negotiate directly with Heat ownership after his agent fell ill. But instead of prioritizing their franchise legend, Miami focused on luring Kevin Durant and re-signing Hassan Whiteside to a $100 million deal.
“I wanted a three-year deal to take me out. I wanted a certain amount of money. And they wouldn’t do it,” Wade explained. “They wanted to be big players in free agency… I want young fella to get his money, but y’all about to give him money over me? Like, take care of me first, then take care of young fella.”
Despite coming off an All-Star season, Wade was frustrated when his phone stayed silent for the second straight summer.
“For the first time, I just told myself, ‘Man, I got kids. I got people at home who depend on me. I’m a leader to my own family. These moments right here are the moments of teaching, and I have to teach my kids how to stand up for their motherf***ing selves. You can’t just keep taking it,’” he said.
When free agency arrived, Wade said egos and emotions got in the way, making it impossible for him to stay. By the time the Heat finally offered a competitive contract, he was already checked out.
“They actually offered me a deal… pretty much the money I asked for the previous year. But by the time we got to it, I was emotionally f***ed,” Wade admitted. “It became business. It became, ‘Well, you gotta go talk to Micky [Arison].’ And I’m like, ‘Pat [Riley], what do you mean go talk to Micky? We do this together.’”
Feeling disrespected, Wade made the tough decision to leave the only franchise he had ever played for.
“I’ve won three championships here, I did it here, I’m done,” Wade said. “Let me now go enjoy my last couple of years of my career.”
