Can LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers Revive Post-Prime Dwyane Wade?

CLEVELAND — Dwyane Wade stood outside the visitor's tunnel at Quicken Loans Arena, describing what it was like to play basketball at a high level on the long side of 30. He spoke of his early NBA days as an aggressive, dual-threat guard out of Marquette who thrived on athleticism and throwing his body into the paint, regardless of the obstacle. He described the necessity of transitioning from a player who relied on athleticism to one who leveraged basketball IQ, knowing when to attack and—more importantly—when not to.

"When I first came into the league, they told me, 'Fella, you're not going to be around if you keep playing that way,'" said Wade. "It's all about picking spots, becoming a smarter player. Knowing when to attack, knowing when to go with the mid-range, knowing when to go with the floater. ... When you start slowing down, IQ becomes really important—out-thinking guys becomes much more important than outjumping guys."

Wade described his reluctance to blow by would-be defenders on the pick-and-roll. He'd try to explode off the floor but no longer elevate as high or as quickly as he intended.

This wasn't last week, however. This was two years ago, two games into the 2015-16 season.

Wade, now 35, is entering yet another phase of his career. He joins a bevy of talent in Cleveland while coming off his lowest scoring total since his rookie campaign, a career-worst true shooting percentage, a career high in average distance of his field-goal attempts, and a PER of 18.5 that would put him below Jeremy Lin and right alongside players like David Lee, Brandan Wright and Zach Randolph.

In Chicago, Wade saw firsthand what it was like to be one of two focal points of an offense that began and ended in the backcourt. In Cleveland, having settled on a buyout with the Bulls after just one season, Wade now has the world at his fingertips—one that is primed to provide him with more open looks than he's seen since LeBron James left Miami after the 2013-14 season, a favorable situation regardless of age.

"When you have a basketball mind and a high IQ about the game, it's a lot easier to make that transition," James said of his friend and newest teammate. "You look at D-Wade, or you look at Vince [Carter]—these are guys who are super, super superior when it comes to their athleticism, but when it comes to their mind, it's how they're able to transition and still be productive. ...

"He's a guy who has a high IQ, can make plays and make shots. Because of the guys we have playing around him. He doesn't have to worry about seeing a double-team or worry about taking tough shots. There should be a lot of guys getting open shots. Efficiency has always been a huge part of myself and D-Wade, and I know he wasn't happy about how he wasn't as efficient as he can be or has been throughout his career last year."

Lynne Sladky/Associated Press

Internally, the Cavaliers believe Wade still possesses the ability to be one of the better combination guards in the league, giving them the flexibility of using him as both the passer or roll man in pick-and-roll situations. Wade admits his 31 percent three-point conversion rate a season ago was not where he had hoped, but a quick look at his hex map shows his success in both short corners is above league average—a trait that fits well with a Ty Lue-coached team that led the league in corner three-pointers both made and converted.

Upon their respective midseason arrivals in Cleveland, both JR Smith (acquired in 2015) and Kyle Korver (2017) spoke at length about how different it was to play alongside James and how many more open looks at the rim their new team provided.

Just last season, Korver, then 35, saw his three-point percentage jump from 40.9 in 32 games with the Atlanta Hawks to 48.5 in his 35 regular-season games with the Cavs. His 59.1 true shooting percentage skyrocketed to 67.7. Not only was he taking 48.7 percent of his three-pointers without a defender within four feet of him, but he was on the receiving end of one of the best passing forwards the game has ever seen.

While Wade is now two full years older than when he first began discussing the trials and tribulations of slowing down, he says he feels good both physically and mentally. Reuniting with James has provided a bit of a honeymoon phase where both players are expressing disbelief over the surreal path that led them to this spot. Even when that phase is over, though, this team situation will allow Wade to utilize his IQ much more than the one he faced a season ago.

"One moment someone says that I'm—what's the word they use, washed?" Wade asked rhetorically upon his arrival in Cleveland. "The next moment I'm the piece to a championship and help a team."

Scott Sargent covers the Cleveland Cavaliers for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @WFNYScott.