Following the NBA Cup semifinals this past Saturday, former Miami Heat superstar Dwayne Wade took to the broadcast to discuss the Miami Heat and various other NBA topics. During the postgame show, Wade had a chance to reconnect with his longtime teammate Udonis Haslem, leading to a nostalgic conversation about their time together on the court.
The discussion took a turn when Haslem brought up a rumored trade that nearly occurred in the past. Wade shared insights from a conversation he had with Heat President Pat Riley regarding the possibility of trading for legendary guard Allen Iverson. “I had a one-on-one with Riles about it,” Wade recounted. “He wanted to talk to me about the possibility of trading for Allen Iverson. That’s one of my favorite players and I love him. I was like, ‘Bet! Let’s do it.’ He said, ‘You in?’ I said, ‘I’m in.’ He said, ‘We have to trade UD.’ I said, ‘I’m out.’ That was it. I was out.”
Imagining a backcourt with both Wade and Iverson would undoubtedly have posed significant challenges for opposing teams, especially given their combined scoring prowess at the time, which often exceeded 50 points. However, Wade made it clear why he preferred to keep Haslem on the roster: “Listen, I love AI, but he wasn’t gonna stick up for me, he wasn’t gonna fight for me, he wasn’t gonna take no fines for me or nothing. Nah, I’m gonna stick with my homie and keep my guy here,” he explained.
Haslem, affectionately known as the “Mayor of Miami,” had a remarkable career with the Heat, spanning 20 seasons during which he played 879 games and earned three championships. While a duo of Wade and Iverson would have been thrilling to witness, Wade’s loyalty to Haslem highlights the strong bond they share and ultimately reflects how well their careers unfolded in Miami.