During the 2019-20 season, the Cavs converted undrafted wing Dean Wade‘s contract from a two-way to a regular deal. Since then, Cleveland has unearthed one of the most underrated 3&D wings in the entire NBA. Wade will likely continue to play off the Cavs bench this season, but he should be starting.
Dean Wade Should Crack the Starting Five This Season
Wade, 27, played four years at Kansas State before declaring for the 2019 NBA draft. Wade would go undrafted before being signed by the Cavs later that year. The former Wildcat would make his league debut with Cleveland, playing in 12 games during the 2019-20 campaign while playing mostly for the team’s affiliate, the Cleveland Charge.
However, during the 2020-21 season, Wade would make a name for himself. Wade appeared in a career-high 62 games, averaging 6.0 points and 3.4 rebounds while shooting 36.6% from three. Since then, Wade has been a staple of the Cavs bench, playing close to 20 minutes per game across the last four seasons. Injury caused him setbacks during the previous season however, it was easily his most effective.
Cavs’ new head coach, Kenny Atkinson has been glowing about his swingman all preseason.
“Man, too much pump-faking tonight,” Atkinson said after Cleveland’s preseason loss to the Indiana Pacers. “Let that thing ride, let that thing go. I just think he doesn’t know how good a shooter he is.”
Wade’s Impact
Last season, Wade played 1108 minutes across 54 games. In those minutes, the Cavs achieved a net rating of 8.4. When Wade was not on the court, the Cavs’ net rating was -0.1. That’s an 8.3 difference in minutes on versus off the court. That mark is the highest on the Cavs. During Wade’s minutes, the team posts a 103.5 defensive rating, and when off the court, just a 114. Wade’s defense is what has kept him in the Cavs rotation. Despite some inconsistent shooting, Wade has been a high-quality defender since 2020.
The Cavs’ current starting small forward is Max Strus. Strus joined the team last season from the Miami Heat on a four-year $63 million deal. In the minutes Wade played without Strus on the court, Cleveland had a net rating of 2.93, when Strus played instead of Wade, the net rating was 2.06.
Last season, Wade averaged 5.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.2 stocks a game while shooting 39.1% from behind the arc.
Versatility
Additionally, Wade’s defensive prowess creates a scenario in which Atkinson plays him as a makeshift center.
“Usually when you go quote-on-quote small, you feel super vulnerable defensively, but with him, you don’t,” Atkinson said. “Even if they have a traditional five out there, he can hold his own. You don’t feel overwhelmed, so that’s a real plus.
Last season, the Cavs played just 35 minutes where Wade was on the floor without a big man but where he shared the court with superstar Donovan Mitchell. In those minutes, the Cavs were a net 5.64. Now, the sample size is incredibly small, and the offense struggled in those minutes, posting just a 96.05 offensive rating. But the team had a 90.41 defensive rating. It’s clear that when Wade is on the floor, he will play plus defense. Atkinson will have the duty of deploying him at the right times to get the most out of him.
The Last Word
Based on last season alone, Wade has proven his value to the Cavs. Head coach Atkinson is ‘sold’ on the 27-year-old to be a staple of the Cavs rotation this season. However, Wade should be the starting small forward for the Cavs because of his defensive versatility and valuable three-point shooting.
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