Dean Wade has started more than half the games he's played this season for the Cleveland Cavaliers. The veteran forward was more than likely on track for another one of those instances on Wednesday night before being yanked from the Miami Heat matchup at the last minute.
Chris Fedor reported: "Don’t know the extent of it at this point. But Cavs Dean Wade seemed to hurt his ankle during his pregame workout."
After the incident occurred, Wade was listed as out. The Cavaliers insider added that the decision was viewed as a precaution. With so little to play for in the regular season remaining, the choice is more than understandable.
Wade has his issues and inconsistencies on the offensive end, but on a team that is struggling defensively, his presence goes a long way in trying to mitigate those issues. If the Cavaliers veteran is not around and available in his full capacity, they will be in trouble.
Cavaliers need Dean Wade's ankle injury to be a short-term problem
To the emphasis of Kenny Atkinson's frustrations, the Cavaliers have been a bad defensive unit of late. Their numbers from the last 10 games are tough not to be concerned about.
During that stretch, the Cavaliers have posted a defensive rating of 118.9. Does that sound bad? Well, that is because it is. Over those 10 most recent games in question, Cleveland ranks in the bottom-10 of the NBA when it comes to their defensive unit. Yikes.
Wade is one of the better defensive players on the team. Opponents have an offensive rating of 113.5 when the Cavaliers forward is on the court. When Wade is off, that rating jumps up to 116.0. That is a 2.5 net swing in favor of Cleveland with their versatile stopper playing.
Even amid some of his offensive shortcomings, the Cavaliers are also better when he is on the court. Cleveland has a 120.6 offensive rating with him on, versus a 118.4 rating when Wade steps off the court. That makes for a net positive of 2.2, pushing his overall swing on both ends a plus-4.7.
Wade is a great role player, no matter how one slices it. Championship teams need to have those guys.
The full severity of Wade's ankle injury is something both the Cavaliers and their fans will want to closely monitor. If they are set up for an extended stretch without him, they will lose a key force of stability and glue among every lineup he was apart of.