The Cleveland Cavaliers could’ve lost one of their best defensive players this offseason.
They traded Isaac Okoro to the Chicago Bulls to get Lonzo Ball, but they also could have dealt Dean Wade.
According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, the Houston Rockets reached out to the Cavs to inquire about Wade’s availability but wound up getting Dorian Finney-Smith instead.
“Before signing Dorian Finney-Smith in free agency, the Houston Rockets pursued a trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers for forward Dean Wade, sources said. Houston was willing to offer Wade a full MLE extension over the next few seasons, the same deal that Finney-Smith ultimately got, if they were able to finalize a trade with Cleveland. These trade talks between Cleveland and Houston happened the week between the NBA Draft and free agency,” Siegel wrote.
Wade has been productive for the Cavs, but the team’s financial constraints might prevent them from keeping him around much longer.
He’s entering the final year of his contract, and re-signing him will be easier said than done, given the current state of the team’s finances.
Wade can stretch the floor and knock down shots from 3-point range.
More than that, he’s a switchable defender who can guard multiple positions and hold his ground against some of the toughest and most athletic forwards in the league.
On a negative note, he’s struggled to stay on the court because of multiple injuries, which is why the Cavs might feel comfortable moving on from him at the right price.
Of course, there should be no rush to get a deal done now that the draft has passed and free agent signings have cooled off, but Wade could be a name to watch at the 2026 trade deadline.
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