Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade is facing an uncertain future amid trade rumors and a contract that is set to expire in the 2026 offseason.
Numerous contenders from each conference have reportedly expressed interest in Wade, something that certainly paints his value in a positive light. That doesn’t necessarily mean the Cavs are going to move him, but it seems like the possibility shouldn’t be dismissed.
One NBA source believes it’s a coin flip whether or not Wade gets moved before the start of the season.
“One league source told me he believes it’s ’50-50′ on whether the Cavs trade Wade before the season,” wrote Sam Amico of Hoops Wire. “While Cleveland isn’t feeling desperate to move him, interest across the league has been high because Wade does such a nice job defensively, the source said.
“I strongly suspect the Cavs want to bring in a viable backup center/power forward, and I predict they will do just that before training camp in the fall. But they’re in no hurry.
“How any of it impacts Wade remains to be seen, but know this — the Cavs are far from determined to move him. They’ve already made it clear they’re not just going to give him away.”
From a salary perspective, Wade will be an affordable rotation piece wherever he plays this season, as he’s set to make about $6.6 million in the final year of his deal. Ironically, that doesn’t mean he’ll come cheap for any team looking to acquire him, as the Cavs would surely want a decent return via trade if they were to move the 28-year-old.
One incentive Cleveland may have to trade Wade is that the team, given its cap situation, might have a hard time retaining him next offseason. As such, trading him now in order to get something in return makes some sense.
Wade’s numbers aren’t flashy, but he’s been a staple for the Cavs for several years. He is a strong defender, and although he isn’t necessarily lethal from 3-point range, his shooting is certainly good enough for him to be called a 3-and-D player. This past season, he averaged 5.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game while shooting 41.3 percent from the field and 36.0 percent from deep.
In the 2023-24 campaign, he had his best season in the NBA as a 3-point shooter, as he knocked down 39.1 percent of his tries.
While the Cavs have largely kept their core intact this offseason, they have made some changes to their rotation. Moving on from Wade wouldn’t qualify as a drastic modification, but it would certainly mark the end of an era, as he has spent his entire NBA career with Cleveland after joining the team as an undrafted free agent in 2019.