Dwyane Wade to the Celtics?

Can’t stop, won’t stop.

Danny Ainge has still yet to fill the 15th roster spot, so I will once again throw out ideas for the GM. And what better person to speculate about now then Dwyane Wade?

The shooting guard has officially (and finally) reached buyout agreement with the Chicago Bulls. This comes just one season after signing with the team in 2016. Now, the 35-year old will test the free agent markets in order to find a new home. So, why not Boston?

Initial reports indicate that Wade’s top option is to join the Cleveland Cavaliers and friend, LeBron James. Other teams such as the San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat and even the Oklahoma City Thunder were also listed by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski as possible landing destinations.

The Celtics may not be listed, but I wouldn’t count them out. Woj went on to report that Wade intends on taking some time before making his decision official.

If Ainge could reach out and pitch the Celtics to Wade, there’s a chance he agrees. A slim chance, maybe, but a chance nonetheless.

The Celtics could use Wade’s veteran leadership. Outside of Al Horford, the C’s have no player over the age of 30. While this does look encouraging for the future, it leaves concern for veteran-leadership. Wade would give the Celtics loads of experience. The 12x All Star and 3x NBA Champion could offer an overwhelming amount of knowledge to the likes of Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart.

Many say the Marquette-grad is washed-up, but I would have to disagree. I mean sure, he’s not the spry player he once was, but he can still contribute. At 35 years of age, Wade was still able to chip-in 29 minutes per game with a usage rate of 29%. In that time, he averaged 18.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game.  While it may be concerning that his field goal percentage reached a career-low of 43%, it’s important to note that he did improve his 3-point shot. Obviously 31% from long-range isn’t exactly great, however it’s an improvement over the 15% he shot during the 2015-16 season. Wade is a smart basketball player, and he’s clearly been working to improve his 3-pointer in order to prolong his career and fit into today’s NBA.

Nabbing Wade would also keep him from reuniting with James in Cleveland. Like I previously stated, the 12x All Star still has a lot to offer a team. If the Cavs were to sign Wade, his addition along with that of Isaiah Thomas and Jae Crowder‘s, may equalize the loss of Kyrie Irving or even (dare, I say) make them better. The amount of mismatches that could be created with a Thomas-Wade-James-Crowder-Love lineup would be difficult for any team to guard. I do believe the Celtics could do it, but it would be tough.

Next: Could the Boston Celtics Wins 2018 NBA Finals

If the Celtics are able to sign Wade to a team-friendly contract it may be worth looking into. While it’s still unlikely, having him as a reliable threat off the bench would be extremely useful for the team.