LeBron James' Return to Miami Shows How Much He Misses Dwyane Wade

MIAMI — There was an opportunity missed in this Christmas clash, and it wasn't by the shorthanded, hometown Miami Heat, who played one of their more complete games of the season, or by the Heat's front office, which did the right thing with a 60-second tribute video for LeBron James, right after "Crazy Andy" appeared on the video screen to hawk some marked-down merchandise.  

It occurred at the start of the second half, when James and Dwyane Wade—these days wearing different colors—sat next to each other on the scorer's table for more than a minute, laughing about something or another, something that Wade later said he didn't remember and James curtly chose not to reveal. This was the time, if there ever was one, for some of Modern English's "I Melt With You" to start blaring off the arena speakers, as the world stopped just for these two. 

Everyone was watching them again, as was the case for nearly every minute of four sometimes frustrating, usually fantastic seasons, but they couldn't have cared in the slightest. Nothing else mattered, not the score—then 62-49 in the Heat's favor in what would ultimately be a 101-91 win—or the standings, or the speculation about the way their time as teammates ended, when James chose to return to Cleveland. 

This sounds sappy for sure, but it's far more relevant to James' current Cleveland Cavaliers situation than any of Thursday's other storylines, anticipated as so many were. Yes, James was emotional about the experience, calling the event "special" in a 90-second Uninterrupted video he posted 15 minutes prior to taking the bus from his Brickell hotel, before he bounced into AmericanAirlines Arena with "some butterflies," rapping along to the Underground Kings.

Yes, he thanked the Miami fans, though on his terms, doing so directly in that video rather than indirectly through reporters, responding to a pregame question on the subject by saying, "I gave everything and more to this city while I was here. I never disrespected this city or the franchise or any of my teammates. Everything else professional, I gave it all. That's all I can do." 

And yes, those fans received him fondly, mostly cheering his introduction and then giving the tribute video—which featured unforgettable moments from on and off the floor—a standing ovation, one he recognized by raising his hand in acknowledgment. 

But his warmest feelings were reserved for Wade, who spoke strongly in support of him last week, urging the fans to show appreciation for all that James had accomplished while representing them. 

This shouldn't have been a surprise. 

After all, when asked for his list of must-do's while briefly back in Miami, his answer was brief and expected. 

"See D-Wade," James said.

So he did on Christmas Eve, away from the court and then did again prior to tipoff, greeting Wade at half court with a hard hug and a few pats on the back of the head. Then he did again before the second half, on that scorer's table, at a stage when Wade had already scored 24 of his 31 and James had tallied 15 of his 30.

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"We're two guys that enjoy the moments that we get on this stage, and to look around us at that moment and see how everybody was kind of looking down on us, it was like, 'Look at the moment we've been a part of creating, whether we've been together or apart,' " Wade said. "And it's just being thankful for it."

Then James made sure to see Wade again after the game was over, waiting for Wade's postgame interview with ABC's Doris Burke to end, even playfully tossing a towel, before covering his mouth with his jersey as they talked and joked and laughed, even though, on this day, only Wade was a winner. 

"It brought back old times, you know, the battles that we had," James said of the occasion, with one in 2006, when he scored 47 to Wade's 44. "Once again, we put up 30 again against each other. It's always fun competing against such a great friend." 

Wade called their four years together "amazing, and we won't take anything away from it. But it was good to see him on the other side of the court as well, because he's going to bring out the best in you."

But it's not just on the court, as opponents or teammates that they brought out the best in each other. It was in every way imaginable, as people and professionals, their initially clunky mid-career collaboration forcing them to sacrifice, to learn to share the spotlight, to improve each other to overcome their circumstances.

As James Jones, who teamed with both for four seasons and now plays with James, explained to Bleacher Report this week, "It was something that people hadn't seen before, and it was something that only a select few guys could handle. And Dwyane, LeBron and [Chris Bosh], in my eyes—and I guess this is just me personally speaking because I know them—I think they were the only three NBA guys equipped to be able to carry a load and be able to make that dynamic work."

As essential as Bosh was, however, Wade and James were the driving forces because they were always under the most watchful eyes. For nearly their entire first shared season with the Heat, James and Wade conducted their interviews together, whether at the podium or, awkwardly, while standing together after practices. The media tried to find cracks in their friendship, or create the cracks for them, but their bond was stronger than any stucco or steel, even in the fourth and final season, when Wade's increased absences put a much greater burden on James. 

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In Wade, James had a peer, someone who overcame a similarly challenging upbringing, someone of the same draft class and the same Olympic teams and the same All-Star squad, someone who also understood the difficulties of serving as the centerpiece of a talent-challenged group. He had someone, once they signed to play together, who could share some of the media burden, who could take the slings and arrows on the days that he didn't feel like discussing something.

He had someone he could trust, under any and all circumstances, to have his back in the best and worst of times, which was proven most powerfully when James chose to leave, and Wade didn't try to talk him out of it, and then revealed that to reporters—even while recognizing that some of his most loyal Heat fans might not agree with that approach. 

It was reminiscent of what Wade and James told me back in 2012, three months prior to the Heat winning the title, James' first in the NBA. James spoke of how "we want nothing but the best for each other. And then we hold each other accountable to a higher standard than anybody else on the team." Wade went even further, while speaking of James' championship quest: "I know what he wants, I know what's in his heart. So, yeah, I want it for him. I think I probably want it for him more than I want it for myself."

They got it together, and then they got it again. 

They got knocked back in the 2014 NBA Finals, and then, by James' choice, they got separated. Still, it's natural that James misses having Wade around, which he made no secret of during the days prior to Thursday's game.

That's not a shot at his current Cavaliers teammates, not at all. But, with the exception of Mike Miller, James Jones and Anderson Varejao, they're new, still learning each other, still understanding who can be counted on in crunch time and who will come apart. Miller and Jones don't play major minutes, not enough to be major forces of change, even though both are solid pros. Varejao won't play anymore this season, not after a season-ending Achilles injury, his absence leaving a significant energy void.

So who can be James' Wade with the Cavaliers?

His confidant?

His co-leader?

It should be either Kyrie Irving or Kevin Love, but each comes with some complications.

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Irving is as gifted as any player at his position, especially as a ball-handler and finisher. But he's just 22, still finding his voice, and his way, and sometimes straying from the collective script, as he did late in Thursday's loss—with quick step-back and pull-up jumpers, without even glancing at the game's best player on his side.

Love is closer in age, but not in temperament. And while Bosh mostly concealed his displeasure when he didn't get the ball while playing with James and Wade, Love lacks such discretion. The former Minnesota Timberwolves forward has developed a nasty habit of pouting when a play goes away from him, and then awry. Thursday, he not only raised his palms in disgust on one possession, but spun completely around with arms clenched on another. 

Plus, neither seems to enjoy interacting with the media, which leaves James to serve, every day, as the only quotable Cavaliers player, forcing him to take all of the toughest questions. 

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Oh, and neither has made the playoffs, so there's no way to know how they'll handle all that comes with them. If they'll handle it as Wade typically did, at least until hitting the wall in the 2014 Finals. If they'll lift each other up. If they'll pick up some of James' slack.  

Over time, maybe one or the other will create a connection with James that is comparable to what he has with Wade, a connection James has said "will last forever." Certainly, it should be among their aspirations, because it will likely lead to more celebrations. That won't be easy to replicate, however, which is one of the many reasons it may be difficult to replicate the Heat's success of the past four seasons. 

"It's not for us to really worry about," James said, when asked to explain how he separates his friendship with Wade from their competition. "At the end of the day, you only play this game for so long. You still got life afterwards."

They do.

They will live it in different cities, holding different goals, at least until their NBA careers are over, and probably after. 

James isn't coming back to Miami, not as a Heat player, even if the relationship between himself and management heals. Wade isn't ever moving to Cleveland to become a Cavalier. He made that quite clear with six seconds of laughter when that proposition was, jokingly, put to him last week. 

Chasing a title as a duo, with respect to Modern English, is a race that's long gone by. But James and Wade will still be together some, in All-Star games, in post-career endeavors and in history, where their shared accomplishments and affection will never melt away.