The Nuggets’ pursuit of Dwyane Wade has reached a new level, and itap a big one — a two-year contract worth $50 million, reported by ESPN and confirmed by The Denver Post.
The Wade contract saga has been a winding road. Wade, the Miami Heat star has been unhappy with the offers from the only team he has played for in an illustrious 13-season career. The Heatap latest offer was two years and $40 million, according to ESPN. The Nuggets are over that number by a lot, but it remains to be seen whether Wade will take the money and run to Denver or hold on to try to coax more money to stay in Miami.
There have been other teams in the mix at one time or another — Chicago, New York and Milwaukee among them. But the Nuggets have been there throughout, always with an offer that has exceeded what other organizations are willing or have the capacity to do. The two sides were closest to striking a deal Saturday, but it didn’t happen.
But the Nuggets have never fully backed away.
Wade is coming off a bounce-back season in which he averaged 19.0 points, 4.6 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game. It was a bounce-back season because of his ability to shake off injuries and play in 74 games. He battled injuries in the previous two seasons that limited him to 62 games in 2014-15 and 54 in 2013-14.
The move, on the Nuggets’ end, raises a litany of questions.
Wade, a shooting guard, plays the same position as the Nuggets’ top draft pick, Jamal Murray; their current starting shooting guard Gary Harris; and the player who was a front-runner for sixth man of the year, Will Barton. Barton can play small forward, but Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler are already there. Murray can play point guard, but the Nuggets already have Emmanuel Mudiay and Jameer Nelson at that spot. Someone who played — or figures to play — a significant role, would be displaced.
But thatap an issue the Nuggets seem willing to work out if Wade, a three-time NBA champion, took his talents from South Beach to Denver.
There is no firm timetable for a final decision, but it all is expected to be resolved soon.
