Photo Credit: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

Many Cavs Players Didn’t Want Dwyane Wade

During this past offseason, Dwyane Wade signed a one-year, $2.3 million dollar contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers, to join a good friend of his – LeBron James. According to LeBron himself, he was bothered by how not all the Cavs players were happy about the Wade signing.

This mainly had to do with Richard Jefferson. Jefferson was the odd man out, the 16th player on an NBA team which, like all teams, is only allowed to have 15 players with guaranteed contracts. Therefore RJ was traded to Atlanta who waived him shortly after. During his time with the Cavaliers, Jefferson became what we call a glue-guy. He was a vocal leader on and off the court and really identified himself with the franchise and city of Cleveland.

In an interview with The Athletic, James talked about the Wade signing and why he got upset with his teammates.

There was a couple guys with it,” James said. “But it wasn’t a lot.”

…

The fact Wade wasn’t openly embraced bothered James.

…

“I still know what he’s capable of doing. Why wouldn’t you want another guy in the locker room that brings a championship mentality and a guy who can still play?” James said. “So, of course, it bothered me, but f*** it. It is what it is.”