Last weekend, the Cleveland Cavaliers got Dean Wade back from an extended absence. Wade has nearly missed a month-and-a-half of action because of an AC joint sprain in his shoulder and then an ankle sprain near when he was originally close to a return from the former injury.
Wade hadn’t played since Dec. 2, but had since appeared in Cleveland’s last two games versus the Milwaukee Bucks and then New York Knicks prior to this last one. In those outings, he played in 10 and then four minutes, and hadn’t had a shot attempt in either game yet.
Coming off missing that significant time, one has to expect it will take some time for Wade to shake off rust, re-establish some rhythm and find his groove on both ends. That’s only natural, and while it’s not nearly the situation with Ricky Rubio involving injury recovery, Wade was out for a real chunk of time, too.
Although in upcoming games, the Cavs have to find ways to help Wade re-find his footing, because when he’s been healthy, he’s been one of the teams’ best two-way contributors this season. Wade started the year off well as a catch-and-shoot threat, as he’s hit 42.9 percent of his three-point attempts, and defensively, he’s one of Cleveland’s most effective forwards.
So, in coming games, hopefully the team can enable him to get more up to speed, as we get deeper into the seasons’ third quarter and February approaches. Thursday was a positive sign on that front, as an aside.
The Cavs need to get Wade more up to speed in upcoming contests, and fortunately, he had his share of time on Thursday. That should continue.
In the Cavs’ blowout win over the youthful Houston Rockets on Thursday night, it was a rout sure, but it was encouraging to see Wade establish some rhythm out there. In nearly 23 minutes of action, he had 15 points on five-of-eight shooting, and shot four-of-seven from three-point range, a 57.1 percent clip. He tallied three rebounds, two blocks and a steal as well, and was a plus-10.
Wade is a role player that has done a fine job in his playing time this season when healthy, and on the year, it’s worth noting that Cleveland is 14-6 in his appearances. Sure, the prior two games before this last one didn’t feature much of him, as an aside.
However, whether it’s been either in times where he’s been in a bench role or starting, Wade has helped the Cavaliers’ efforts. For context, he’s come off the bench in 11 of his appearances, and has started in the other games. In bench appearances, his plus-minus has been plus-5.1 and as a starter, that’s been plus-3.3.
Hopefully, in upcoming games, Wade can keep getting more up to speed for Cleveland, given how when he’s been available, he’s meshed well with a plethora of other Cavs, and he’s a player that can be viable at multiple positions. And with Kevin Love currently banged up, involving back spams of late, and him reportedly still affected by a thumb ailment, Cleveland could utilize Wade at the 4 in some stretches.
Perhaps Wade could be re-inserted into the starting 3 role some point soon by the Cavs, too, given his two-way abilities, catch-and-shoot/off-ball play and transition finishing.
Either way, there’s a compelling argument for him to play a considerable chunk of minutes regularly, and Wade was very effective last season when he was consistently in the rotation as well. He can be viable in varying lineups, as we expressed, too, and could function in stretches with Cedi Osman, for example, or at times, Lamar Stevens, if there’s multiple shot creators with them.
Now, it wouldn’t be difficult to rationalize the Cavs potentially trading for a wing to boost the teams’ perimeter shooting/scoring efforts, and they’ve been widely rumored to be in the market for that sort of skill set. But regardless, it’s crucial for Wade to get more up to speed in coming games.
The 26-year-old forward was given a three-year extension in the past offseason, and the Cavaliers have to utilize his services.