Dwyane Wade, Please Take Control of the Miami Heat and the NBA!

Over the last seven seasons, Dwyane Wade shouldered the responsibility of leading the Miami Heat.

Even with Shaq as a teammate, Wade was still the focal point. He proved early in his career that he was a clutch player, earning the 2006 NBA Finals MVP. Wade is a true professional in the way he conducts himself on and off the court.

Dwyane Wade is a champion.

However, he is not much older than his other high-profile teammates. Wade’s experiences are the envy of much of the NBA. Wade needs to emphasize this point in the media and to his teammates.

As part of the maturation process, Wade, who has not been a vocal leader, needs to step up and take control. Wade cannot stop LeBron from putting his foot in his mouth every time. Wade can hold James publicly responsible for creating distractions, which affect the team.

After the move to Miami, James transformed into a villain. This could be a good thing if harnessed correctly. So far, James seems to start to step up to the role, then back away and explain away his "bad guy" antics. Wade does not need to be caught up in this behavior. Like the Bad Boy Detroit Pistons in the 1980s. Isaiah Thomas led the team with hard work leaving the Bad Boy reputation for his teammates to uphold, Wade and James should consider similar roles. 

This team proved that it could respond to external situations. In the best instance, the Miami Heat demolished the Cleveland Cavaliers sparking a double-digit winning streak. However, on the bad side, there has been a loss of momentum resulting in multiple losses.

This team has the potential to be the best in the NBA. Mentally, the Miami Heat are unstable. Moreover, until they are able to address this instability they will not be able to live up to their hype and potential.