Dwyane Wade has given his NBA future some thought, but he’s wasn’t ready to make an announcement Tuesday night in Philadelphia.
The Sixers eliminated Wade and the Miami Heat from the playoffs with a 104-91 Game 5 win, bringing an end to Wade’s 15th season.
Dwyane Wade did everything right in his return to the Heat. If it's going to be a humble exit after tonight, he seems fine with that. Here's a glimpse into what he's been thinking and what he's done behind the scenes since coming back: https://t.co/mGQ1nbUh84 pic.twitter.com/ksx7tMc3iq
— Jason Lieser (@JasonLieser) April 25, 2018
The 36-year-old future Hall of Famer has said he doesn’t want to play anywhere but South Beach.
Per the Palm Beach Post:
“Y’all know I’ve given it thought,” he said when asked if he’s retiring. “This is Philly and I love Philly, but there ain’t gonna be no breaking news here. I appreciate y’all’s concern, but we’ll worry about that later. I ain’t gonna break nothing here.”
Wade seems to have effectively compartmentalized the retirement speculation — internal and external — over the past week or so. He’s always said he doesn’t want a sendoff like the one Kobe Bryant enjoyed two years ago and he’s treated the last few days like any others.
Maybe it’s because he’s coming back. Maybe that’s just his personality.
“When I say I’ve gotta make a decision, that’s in the summer,” Wade said. “When you’re in the fight, when you’re in the battle, you focus on that. You focus on what you need to do. When you let your mind go, it’s over with already.”
