Dwyane Wade Weighs In On LeBron James' Return To Cavaliers In 2014

Dwyane Wade did not think LeBron James would come back to the Cleveland Cavaliers because of Dan Gilbert's infamous letter.

The summer of 2014 was one of the most chaotic free agency in the last 10 years. Some of the NBA's biggest stars at the time such as Chris Bosh, Carmelo Anthony, and Kyle Lowry were set to hit the open market. But the biggest name out of all of them was LeBron James.

LeBron had just wrapped up his fourth season with the Miami Heat and murmurs turned into rumors indicating he may be open to returning to the team where it all began. Eventually, we all know that James opted to come back to the Cleveland Cavaliers and fulfilled his promise of bringing a championship to the city. 

However, not everyone thought James would seriously go back to Cleveland. Fans turned on him for how he left the city in 2010, booed him every chance they could get, and the Cavs' owner even chimed in with his displeasure towards the mega-star. 

Dan Gilbert famously published an open letter shortly after LeBron's first departure calling his move "cowardly," "shameful," and "selfish."

Dwyane Wade, who had been James' teammate in Miami during that four-year stretch and became a close friend, thought this letter would've had a massive impact on LeBron's free agency decision in 2014. Wade appeared on  Shannon Sharpe's Club Shay Shay and said

"That’s why I never thought Cleveland was in play. Not saying that I never thought that he was going to be in Miami forever, I wasn’t thinking that way. But I never thought Cleveland was in play because I’m petty. So if I was going off of how I would have done it, no, I’m not coming back to you. But at the same time man, LeBron has a journey, and it’s bigger than a letter that Dan Gilbert could put out."

Ironically, Wade did sign with Cleveland ahead of the 2017 season and played 46 games for the Cavaliers before being traded back to Miami.  

Jan 3, 2018; Boston, MA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Dwyane Wade (9) and forward LeBron James (23) talk on the court against the Boston Celtics in the first quarter at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Gilbert and James were thankfully able to put that letter past each other and the Cavs broke the 52-year drought and brought th the city and its fans a championship it deserved.

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