Kevin Love Could Be the Key to Dwyane Wade’s Resurgence

Dwyane Wade’s first week on the Cleveland Cavaliers has been one to forget.

Dwyane Wade started off the season as the Cleveland Cavaliers’ starting shooting guard but has asked to be moved to the bench after not being able to find a solid role with the starters. In three games this season, Wade is averaging just 5.7 points per game on 28% shooting. But, the 35-year-old can still revive his slow start for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Wade told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin after Saturday’s loss to the Magic that he’s still trying to find his role:

"“I’m trying to find it, man. It’s very different, different than I’ve ever played. Just trying to find my way, as we go on, see how I can be best for this team. Everything’s happened so fast. This has been a long, a long week. . . . I’ve always been a [No.] 1 or 2 option. It’s just a different game. You got to kind of figure out your way.”"

Many have begun to speculate that Wade doesn’t have anything left to offer an NBA team. His game has been predicated on athleticism which doesn’t age well. However, the move to the bench could prove that he does still have plenty to offer a team like the Cavs.

Wade showed flashes of his former self in the four preseason games he played in. He put up 11.5 points per game (averaging 19 minutes per) on 52.8% shooting. The difference between the preseason and the regular season appears to be his role in the offense. He played all but one game of the preseason without LeBron James. He spent most of the preseason minutes playing with Derrick Rose, J.R. Smith, Jae Crowder, and Kevin Love. In these lineups, Wade was more of a primary option. That isn’t the case with LeBron, but it can be now that he’s moved to the bench.

Even though Wade hasn’t played well in his first three games in Cleveland, he has shown to have some chemistry with Love. Wade and Love have excelled in their careers at running the pick-and-roll even though it has been a forgotten part of Love’s game the better part of three seasons.

Here is an example of how Wade is able to cut after getting an elbow screen from Love. Love pops out behind the three-point line giving Wade an angle to attack the basket.

Even when Love isn’t directly involved in the play, Wade showed in the preseason that he can get to the basket with the space Love creates. Hawks’ center Dewayne Dedmon didn’t want to give Love an open three allowing Wade to attack without help defense.

Love and Wade can also attack in the transition. Here’s an example of an easy basket that was created for Crowder because of how Wade and Love can attack in transition.

Love assisted on 6 of Wade’s 19 field goals he made in the preseason. Conversely, Wade has assisted on 5 of Love’s field goals so far in the regular season, which is more than any other Cleveland Cavaliers’ player including LeBron.

Plays like this haven’t been available for Wade so far in the regular season. Much of that has to do with being relegated to being the third or fourth option due to LeBron being back in the lineup. James has been the one initiating the offense and running the two-man game with Love while Wade is often left as a spot-up shooter.

Wade playing with the second unit eliminates many of the issues that we’ve seen from him in the early part of the season. He’s best when he has the ball in his hands and is one of the primary options. This can be the case when he’s with the second unit or playing alongside Love as a primary option.

Wade has proven that he can still be an effective player the last two seasons even with his declining athleticism. Playing with the second unit allows him to be that player here in Cleveland. Wade does have some left in the tank, it’ll just be up to Coach Lue to figure out the best way to get it out of him.

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This may be best achieved by pairing him with Love.