Udonis Haslem believes Dwyane Wade’s departure from Heat ‘could have been avoided’

Udonis Haslem always envisioned finishing his NBA career with the Heat. But the Miami native never envisioned finishing his NBA career without Dwyane Wade on his team.

“I never envisioned finishing it without my brother,” Haslem said to reporters Tuesday on a conference call. “But I think the 13 years that I spent with him, the 13 years that I’ve spent playing with some of the greatest players in the league, the 13 years that I’ve spent in this
organization has prepared me for the next step and that’s to lead this next group of guys and the next generation.”

The 36-year-old Haslem re-signed with the Heat on Sunday, taking a one-year deal worth about $4 million to return to the organization for a 14th season. But with Wade choosing the Bulls over the Heat in free agency, Haslem and Wade won’t be teammates next season for the first time in their NBA careers.

The duo began their NBA careers together in 2003 and have spent the past 13 seasons with the Heat.

“Right now, it’s not really real,” Haslem said of Wade leaving Miami. “I’m not really paying much attention to it. I’m trying not to read about it and I’m trying not to focus on it. I’m just trying to focus on what my next step is as a leader.”

Haslem spoke to Wade during free agency before the 12-time All-Star made his decision. Looking back, Haslem still wonders if there was anything he could have done to convince Wade to stay with the Heat.

“Obviously, I wanted him to come back,” Haslem said. “But I know there were a lot of things he was feeling that he was burying for a while that just came to a head this particular summer. For whatever reason, the organization and him couldn’t come to an agreement. In hindsight, I don’t know if I should have handcuffed him like Chris Paul did with DeAndre Jordan and made him change his mind. I don’t know if there’s anything I could have done or should have done. I felt like it could have been avoided but for whatever reason it just wasn’t.”

It’s been an eventful NBA offseason. Along with Wade’s move to Chicago, future Hall of Famers Tim Duncan and Kobe Bryant retired, and Kevin Durant left the Thunder to join the Warriors. But for Haslem, Wade’s move is the only one that matters.

“Nothing against Kobe and nothing against Timmy, they’ve had great careers and they’re arguably the greatest players at their positions to ever play this game,” Haslem said. “But really the only thing that matters to me and the only change that matters to me is No. 3 going to Chicago. I don’t give a damn about Kevin Durant or anyone else, to be honest.”