D-Wade's Next Destination: What's In The Pacific? (Part 6 Of 6)

In 2004 Shaquille O’neal left Los Angeles for Miami and paired up with Dwyane Wade to bring the Heat their lone championship in 2006. In the summer of 2010 will Wade consider making the jump for Miami to Los Angeles and team up, not with Kobe, but Baron Davis and company? Perhaps Dwyane Wade’s presence in Golden State might prove to be the stabilizing force needed to corral all the young talent on the Warriors into one sense of purpose, namely, returning to the NBA playoffs? Could Phoenix be a player in the 2010 free agent market? Let’s examine the Pacific Division to determine which team could be a potential suitor of Dwyane Wade.

The Los Angeles Lakers enter this season as the defending champions. They were among the top offensive teams last year but were mediocre on the defensive end. So what did they do in the offseason? They used stonewall tactics during the contract negotiations with Trevor Ariza to parlay a deal with Ron Artest, one of the top defenders in the league. The Lakers are on the books for an excess of $83 million next year and are the favorites to win the title again. David Stern wouldn’t allow Wade to team up with Kobe even if it were possible.

Golden State is in need of someone who can truly provide leadership on the floor. Stephen Jackson filled that role until recently when he requested to be traded and then proceeded to get into a tussle with Kobe Bryant during a pre-season match. The latter incident resulted in him relinquishing the title as team captain thus providing the opportunity for someone else to step into that role. It’s highly unlikely that it will be Dwyane Wade as the Warriors are already up against the luxury tax threshold for the 2010-11 season. They would have to move several pieces in order to have enough cap space needed to make a serious run at Wade.

In a surprising move, the Phoenix Suns inked the 2 time MVP, Steve Nash to a 2 year, 22 million deal this summer that all but eliminated the Suns from being a serious player next summer. Stoudemire is in a contract year and depending on his performance, could draw interest elsewhere. However, given his recent injuries and the state of the economy, it’s hard to imagine him getting an offer that will exceed the $16 million he currently has on the table in Phoenix should he choose not to opt out. His contract, coupled with Nash’s new deal, place the Suns will over the luxury tax for the 2010-11 season. Consider Wade an afterthought in Phoenix for the foreseeable future.

In Sacramento, the Maloof brothers have worked tirelessly to bring financial balance to a roster filled with questionable signings; the most recent of these belonging to Beno Udrih. Next summer, they will finally be able to breathe a sigh of relief as the hefty contracts of Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Kenny Thomas come off the books. We should expect the Sacramento Kings to sit next year’s free agency bidding war out while continuing to stockpile young talent by way of the NBA lottery.

Move over Lakers and make way for the Los Angeles Clippers. Of all the teams in the Pacific Division, the Clippers are well positioned to make a legitimate run at Dwyane Wade. They will enter the summer of 2010 with plenty of cap space, a collection of talented players and a share of one of the largest markets in the NBA. Can you imagine the revenue generated by the Great Western Forum "IF" the Clippers and Lakers home games feature the top two shooting guards in the league?

Committed Salary – 39 million.

Talent – Collin, Davis, Gordon, Griffin, Jordan, Kaman, Telfair and Thornton.

Contend – Without a doubt adding Wade to this mix of talent would catapult the Clippers into the top 4 of western conference teams.

Offer – A max contract would be hard to resist when coupled with the thought of playing in Los Angeles alongside backcourt teammate Baron Davis and the frontcourt trio of Griffin, Kaman and Thornton. There wouldn’t be a better in-state rivalry in all of sports.