One of the Philadelphia Sixers' first moves of the offseason was agreeing to sign Dean Wade to a four-year, $39 million deal, and it was a good one. He left Cleveland to reunite with Mike Gansey in Philly, and, as Tony Jones of The Athletic wrote, the 29-year-old bought into what the new front office was selling (subscription required):
Wade and his group chose the Sixers, according to league sources, in large part because Gansey and Nelson sold him on the vision of how he wanted the Sixers to work as an organization and how he wanted to build the roster.
Wade didn't know how grand that vision would be, as Jones reported that while the forward was deciding, the Sixers believed they had a real shot at Jaylen Brown, but they still didn't know if a deal would actually happen.
The day after Wade agreed to sign with Philadelphia, the team executed the trade for Brown. Just like that, the vision that Gansey and Co. sold Wade on was already paying off, and that wasn't the end of it, as the Brown trade put the Sixers on the map as a top LeBron James team, which resulted in the superstar signing a two-year deal.
Wade's decision to sign with the Sixers has paid off
Wade went from being slotted in as a starter to a bench role for the Sixers before the season even started, but he'll still play a key role on what is one of the most talented rosters in the league. He'll get to compete for a championship after years of coming up short in Cleveland, most recently in the conference finals after getting swept by New York.
Now, he's part of a roster that can dethrone the Knicks in the East. The real test hasn't started yet, and they'll have a learning curve as they figure out how to mesh, but the Sixers are in a much better position now than they were at the end of last season.
Wade believed that even before Brown and James came on board.
Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported before the official start of free agency that the Lakers, Spurs, Trail Blazers, Pistons, and Suns were among the teams interested in the forward's services. Still, he was specifically drawn to the Sixers. His intuition and belief in the kind of team that Gansey could construct led him in the right direction.
Wade isn't the only beneficiary, of course, as he's built his reputation on the defensive end and can guard multiple positions. He's a decent three-point shooter, shooting 36.2% from three on 3.2 attempts per game last season with the Cavaliers. His career high, except for his rookie season when he played just 12 games and shot 50% from deep, is 39.1% on 3.7 attempts per contest in 2023-24.
You've rightfully heard and read a lot about the talent in Philadelphia's starting lineup, but don't overlook the value that players like Wade will bring off the bench.
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