Earlier this offseason, the Cleveland Cavaliers traded wing Isaac Okoro to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for guard Lonzo Ball. The move marked the end of an era for the Cavs, as Okoro had been one of the longest-tenured members of the team.
Other trade buzz this summer has included Cleveland forward Dean Wade, who is also one of the longest-tenured Cavs. However, based on some recent comments from NBA insider Jake Fischer, it sounds like the Okoro trade might’ve been an indication that Wade isn’t going to be traded anytime soon.
Fischer said he hasn’t checked on the Wade trade market “up to this minute,” but added that the “last I heard was that it was kind of a one or the other situation” with the Cavs trading either Okoro or Wade.
“There’s definitely been conversations about Dean Wade this summer,” Fischer said. “I mean, he’s someone that I think a lot of teams look at as an easy, low-cost, plug-and-play, multiple positional defender, but I think a lot of the Dean Wade conversation was more back when the Cavs were looking at the deal that turned into Lonzo Ball. I think the Cavs were looking at either one of Isaac Okoro or Dean Wade heading out the door at one point in time and they turned Isaac Okoro into Lonzo Ball.
“So, I have not admittedly checked in on the Dean Wade trade market up to this minute, but the last I heard was that it was kind of a one or the other situation of Cleveland trading out one of those players and I’m not sitting here anticipating a Dean Wade trade anytime soon.”
The comments from Fischer may increase fans’ confidence that Wade isn’t about to be dealt. One NBA source recently said he believes that there is a “50-50” chance of the Cavs trading Wade before the season. Another report earlier this month indicated that multiple contenders from each conference have expressed interest in Wade.
Wade is a strong defender and capable 3-point shooter. 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 beyond the arc.
He has played as both a starter and bench piece during his Cavs tenure and also has some playoff experience, all factors that are likely appealing to contending teams. Also likely appealing is his $6.6 million salary for the 2025-26 season before he hits free agency.
If the Cavs keep Wade and let him hit free agency next summer, it’s possible they’ll lose him with nothing to show for it, but if they believe that he can help them get closer to a title this coming season, then opting against trading him may be the best move.
During Cleveland’s dominant 2024-25 regular season, Wade appeared in 59 games and started 30 of them. He then appeared in all nine playoff games and got one start. Time will tell if he remains a part of the team’s rotation (and roster) going into the new campaign.