With speculations on the potential retirement of NBA greats, such as Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers, the attention of the fans and followers of the sport now turn to the future of the Miami Heat once Dwyane Wade exits the NBA team. Although the NBA star has yet to officially confirm a date for his retirement, rumors are rife that the end might be near for the Miami Heat player as Dwyane Wade could definitely no longer play all 82 games this coming NBA season. Moreover, the Miami Heat star has not been able to play for more than 70 NBA matches since the 2011 - 2012 season. With these numbers in mind, it is not difficult to determine that the great Dwyane Wade would be hanging his Miami Heat jersey soon.
Two Miami Heat stars come into mind whenever discussions of potential starters to replace Dwyane Wade come up. The first, and more commonly mentioned, player is Mario Chalmers. Spending almost a decade of his NBA career with the Miami Heat, the point guard has earned his stripes and is now identified as one of the most valuable players of the NBA team. However, speculations reveal that the Miami Heat management is seriously considering placing Chalmers in the trading block sometime soon.
According to FOX Sports, Chalmers might not even be part of the Miami Heat by November. Eyeing the possibility of cutting off on the expenses, the NBA team is said to be aggressively seeking ways to get rid of Chalmers. While this seems logical from the management perspective, the tides could easily be turned once the Miami Heat star finally show his potential as an irreplaceable Dwyane Wade stand-in.
In an interview with Sirius XM Radio Show, called "Above the Rim," Chalmers lamented the fact that his contributions to the NBA team remain unrecognized. Pointing out that he has been with the Miami Heat for seven seasons, playing as a starter two times in the four instances that the NBA team reached the Finals, Chalmers admitted that his standing in the team is still questioned.
He shared, "I always get comments like, 'The only reason why you won championships is because you have Dwyane Wade or LeBron James on your team,' and I'm like, 'That's not my fault.'" The Miami Heat point guard went on to say, "Even in those aspects, in those games, I still had to do my thing and I still had big games in the Finals every time we went. I think sometimes my game gets overlooked, but people can count on me." While Chalmers might not be included in the Big 3, which is composed of Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and the now Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James, the point believes that his contributions should not be taken for granted.
With the potential trade of Miami Heat point guard still on the table, Movie News Guide noted that Chalmers will be openly welcomed by a bunch of other teams such as the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics and New York Knicks. However, the most aggressive NBA team eagerly waiting for the Miami Heat is the Utah Jazz. Bearing in mind the recent injury suffered by Dante Exum, the entry of Chalmers in the NBA team will be highly needed.
Meanwhile, another contender for the Dwyane Wade stand-in is Gerald Green. Showing off a notable playing chemistry with Doran Dragic, which stemmed from the years they played together in the Phoenix Suns, sports analyst deem it possible for the two to give the Miami Heat the "uptempo style" of gameplay this NBA season. Compared with Chalmers, Green is a tad behind in terms of court experience as he only managed to get in the starter team 26 times in a season throughout his eight-year NBA career.
