A wild 76ers offseason has finally settled, after they stunningly signed LeBron James and traded for Jaylen Brown to vault into championship contender status.
To help Sixers followers get acquainted with the newcomers on this revamped roster, The Inquirer reached out to reporters who covered those players on their previous teams.
Next up is Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer, who covered Dean Wade’s rise from undrafted two-way player to key forward for the Cavaliers.
Gina Mizell: Wade is the epitome of a self-made player. How did he turn himself from an undrafted two-way signee into a top-notch NBA role player? Was there a moment or stretch during his Cleveland tenure when you realized he was shaping into a rotation contributor?
Chris Fedor: Beyond his relentless work ethic, Wade’s approach played a significant role in him becoming a rotational regular. As the Cavaliers were in the midst of a sometimes-painful rebuild, on-court development became an organizational point of emphasis. Many youngsters — Darius Garland, Collin Sexton and Isaac Okoro — were getting consistent opportunities.
Around the midway point of the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season, Wade finally got his chance, being moved into the starting lineup because of his size and defensive versatility. Wade quickly understood he wasn’t going to make his mark as a prolific scorer. He had to do the little things, some of which wouldn’t show up on the stat sheet. That’s what the Cavaliers needed. That’s why they gave him a promotion. That’s when he started focusing on being the best defender possible, willing to take the most difficult matchups.
GM: Wade is most known as a terrific defender, but that impact does not always show up in the box score. What are the traits that make him so good on that end of the floor, and how did those develop over time?
CF: It’s funny because most nights the traditional box score won’t show Wade doing much of anything. Not a lot of points. A low shot total. A couple rebounds. Maybe a steal or two. And then you glance at the far right and see his positive plus-minus. For the last few years, it led to fans — and coaches — wondering how that number was so high and why he was such a great fit in Cleveland’s starting lineup. It finally got to a point where people stopped asking those questions and just accepted him being an unheralded difference-maker, with a consistently positive on-off differential.
Much of that impact was tied to his defense — [he was] the best wing defender on the roster. Listed at 6-foot-9 and 230 pounds, Wade has the length, strength and sturdiness to play up in position, even being used as a small-ball five at various points the last few years. He also has surprisingly good feet that allow him to, at the very least, hold his own against smaller perimeter-oriented guards. During the Cavaliers’ run to the conference finals, Wade matched up against Brandon Ingram, Scottie Barnes, Cade Cunningham, and even Jalen Brunson. With Wade on the floor in the postseason, Cleveland had a stingy 109.3 defensive rating. With him off the floor, its defensive rating was 114.8. He was just one of three players with a positive net rating over those 18 games. James Harden and Jarrett Allen were the others.
GM: Which complementary offensive attributes are most going to serve Wade on this star-studded roster? Are there any Sixers players that you envision him particularly thriving alongside?
CF: Wade often joked about his offensive job being simple. Space the floor. Stay out of the way. Knock down open shots. Given the number of ball-dominant stars on Philadelphia’s roster, having a low-volume and low-usage player like Wade is certainly beneficial. He has a unique ability to make a positive impact without touches or shots. He knows how to fill in the gaps and fit in a variety of lineups. He impacts winning at a high level. Given the attention Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid, and LeBron James all command, Wade will be able to thrive alongside all those guys as a capable catch-and-shoot guy who has made better than 36% of his three-pointers in each of the last three seasons.
GM: How big of a concern should his recent injury history be? He has not reached 60 regular-season games in each of the past five seasons.
CF: Injuries are an issue. They have been going back to college — one of the reasons he went undrafted. Shoulder. Knee. Ankle. Foot. They keep piling up. And sometimes at the worst possible moment. Understanding his importance, Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson monitored Wade’s regular-season minutes.
Atkinson was determined to keep Wade fresh and healthy. It worked. But getting through the 82-game grind has been a challenge and it wouldn’t be a surprise, especially given president of basketball operations Mike Gansey’s internal knowledge of Wade’s health, to see the Sixers take a similar approach.
GM: How would you describe him as a teammate and inside a locker room, especially on a team with such high expectations and big personalities?
CF: Wade gets along with everyone. That won’t be a problem. He was one of Jarrett Allen’s groomsmen. He was Sam Merrill’s neighbor. He was in the team’s fantasy football league. He cracked jokes. He talked about sports, movies, TV shows, books, college experiences and music — the usual locker-room chatter. But it did feel like at times Wade wondered whether he truly belonged.
From a tiny Kansas town where most people become electricians or farmers, Wade seemed to struggle with impostor syndrome, and his confidence vacillated. Almost like, “Should I really be taking this shot, or would it be better for one of my more accomplished teammates?” I mean, his teammates had to scream at him to shoot because he had a tendency to bypass open looks. Perhaps this new contract, the biggest of his career, will give him a mental boost. But it’s something to watch on a team with high expectations, big personalities, and potential drama. Because, let’s face it, LeBron will bring drama. Always does.
