Dean Wade was hoping to re-sign with the Cavaliers this summer, but he said the “craziness” of the offseason prevented it from happening, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com writes in a subscriber-only piece. Wade spent seven years in Cleveland after joining the team on a two-way contract in 2019. He became a versatile member of the rotation who excelled defensively and could hit three-pointers, and he was effective both as a starter and reserve.
Wade wanted to continue in that role, but the Cavs spent much of the summer chasing stars after reaching the Eastern Conference finals. They were rumored to be in the mix to trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo or Jaylen Brown, and they were hoping to bring back LeBron James, who didn’t announce that he was signing with Philadelphia until late July.