Dwyane Wade will return to Miami on Thursday for the first time since signing with the Chicago Bulls. When he plays against the Miami Heat after spending 13 years with the organization, he'll surely receive an enormous ovation. However, it's not clear if he will communicate with the franchise's most powerful executive. Wade said Wednesday that he still hasn't spoken to Heat president Pat Riley since the end of last season, via the Chicago Tribune's K.C. Johnson:
"I know who Pat is. It's no secret to me," Wade said following Wednesday's morning shootaround at Phillips Arena. "If you're not with him, you're against him. That's just the way he is. You gotta understand that, man.
"I'm cool with it. I'm fine, 100 percent. I was there 13 years. I've seen a lot of video tributes. I've seen a lot of players come in and go out. And I've seen the way he has responded to them. And I know if you're not with him, you're against him."
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"I haven't talked to him. Simple as that," Wade said. "I think I've been very open and honest about my respect and love for Pat. But I've also been honest that I haven't spoken to him since the season ended."
Wade said he has communicated "with everyone else" in the organization and doesn't know how he'll react to the video tribute the Heat have planned for his return.
The Riley-Wade dynamic is interesting because it seems like there has been a rift, but neither will directly say so. While there were reports of contentious negotiations between Miami and Wade in July, the two sides have been cordial publicly.
In mid-July, Riley said he had "great regret" about not doing more to keep Wade, adding he was crafting a "very long e-mail" to send when the time is right. Then at Wade's introductory press conference in Chicago, Wade denied that he had any problem with Riley and insisted that money had nothing to do with his decision. In September, Wade said he had yet to receive the e-mail and Riley said that he'd written it, but not sent it.
It's notable that four months after the split Wade acknowledged they haven't had a conversation, but also used the words "love" and "respect." Both know Wade will forever be associated with the Heat franchise, so there's no point squabbling through the media. Now would be a good time to send that email, though.
