Cavaliers Reveal Major Injury Update On Sharpshooting Big Man

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade is on the mend after suffering a knee injury late this past season.

May 11, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade (32) rebounds against the Boston Celtics in the second quarter of game three of the second round of the 2024 NBA playoffs at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports / David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade suffered a knee injury in March that severely compromised him down the stretch, causing him to miss the last 19 games of the regular season and limiting him to just three playoff contests.

Well, Wade is apparently making terrific progress in his recovery.

Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com reports that Wade has been conducting full on-court workouts in Cleveland and has not experienced any pain in the previously injured knee.

Fedor adds that Wade started workouts in mid-June after resting for several weeks.

Wade played in 54 games and made 32 starts this past season, averaging 5.4 points and four rebounds over 20.5 minutes per game while shooting 41.4 percent from the floor, 39.1 percent from three-point range and 76.9 percent from the free-throw line.

While Wade is primarily known for his ability to spread the floor, he is also a surprisingly solid defender and possesses the physical tools to guard multiple positions.

The 27-year-old posted a solid 1.8 DPBM in 2023-24 and accumulated 1.6 defensive win shares on the year. While those stats are not always the best barometer of how good of a defender a player is, they do paint a decent picture, and Wade clearly excelled in both numbers.

Wade, who played his collegiate basketball at Kansas State, went undrafted but joined the Cavs on a two-way contract in 2019.

He made his NBA debut that ensuing season, playing in 12 games. The following year, Wade forged a significant role on the Cavaliers, appearing in 63 contests.

The Wichita, Ks. native is under contract with Cleveland through the 2026-27 campaign and is slated to earn a tick over $6 million next season.