Is Dean Wade's Cavs Preseason An Indicator Of Things To Come?

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade has looked fresh and productive in the team's first three games as a different kind of weapon.

Believe it or not, the two longest-tenured Cleveland Cavaliers on the team have only been around for five years. They are Darius Garland and Dean Wade.

From a first-year player with only four college games under his belt to a fifth-year budding star with a brand new rookie max contract extension kicking in, Garland has blossomed into one of the Cavs’ most dependable leaders — on the floor and in the locker room.

The same can be said for Wade as a great teammate and relentless worker. He’s really dug his feet into the ground and forced his way up. 

He started as a two-way contract player when Cleveland signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2019 and turned that into a standard contract in July 2020. Cracking the rotation and sometimes filling in as a starter in multiple positions, Wade earned a three-year, $18.5 million extension of his own that begins this season.

“I mean, he's grown up,” Cavs head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said after Thursday’s practice. “You've seen him come in as a kid who was fresh out of college to going into our fifth year together now. The maturation process, not just as a basketball player, but as a person, as a family man. All those things, we've been lucky enough to be a part of the process of him growing and maturing.”

Oct 12, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade (32) reacts after a three point shot during the second half against the Orlando Magic at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse / Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

No longer dealing with a shoulder injury that was hindering him for the last season and a half, Wade feels the healthiest he’s been since before the surgery.

It certainly looks like it. Preseason numbers are preseason numbers, but averaging nearly 12 points and over five rebounds a night with a 9-for-15 clip from long range is nothing to scoff at. Against Maccabi Ra’anana, Wade scored all 13 of his points in just nine minutes played in the fourth quarter. He was perfect on four shot attempts, recorded a steal and even hammered home a dunk.

“We've got so many weapons on the offensive end. My job really is just to play defense as hard as I can and then just give those guys space,” Wade said. “Donovan (Mitchell), DG [Darius Garland], those guys — when they have open space, any space on the court, no one in the NBA can guard 'em. So my job is good spacing.

“If they call me to screen, slips, go's, whatever I've got to do. And then, when I'm open, obviously I have to shoot it. So my job really hasn't changed much from last year. Just more of an emphasis on better spacing, timely cuts, stuff like that.”

Following the Orlando Magic game a few days earlier, Wade was asked if he’s looking to prove something this training camp.

“I'm not trying to show anything different about my game. Just go out there and just be a solid teammate,” Wade said. “When I'm open, shoot. But more of what I focus on is defense when I come in. I've tried to bring a little bit more intensity on the defensive end and a little more physicality. I think that'll change the game more for me than my offense will.”

“I think Dean has been really good. I think he is playing with a ton of confidence and it’s not just about the shot-making,” Bickerstaff added. “You look at Dean and he is doing other things. He is rebounding the ball at a high clip. He knows how to make an offense continue to move and keep ticking. He makes everybody’s job a little easier on that end of the floor also. Then defensively, he has the ability to guard multiple positions – perimeter and big guys – and do the job. I think he has done a really good job.”

People may have been too quick to assume that the additions of Georges Niang and Max Strus would mean much less time for Wade. 

From the looks of it, Bickerstaff is going to be utilizing his versatility in different ways.

"All those guys gotta go out and they've got to earn those minutes," Bickerstaff said after the Orlando game. "Dean has the ability to play multiple positions. There's no reason why he can't play alongside Georges. We've seen Dean play the 3 and be successful and help both sides of the ball. 

"It's our responsibility to put the best units on the floor, and if Dean is one of those guys that presents the best unit, it's our job to get him out there."