Before the Philadelphia 76ers even got to pull off their blockbuster additions this summer, the front office already started the offseason on a high note when they managed to lure in a highly coveted free agent in the form of Dean Wade. Well, the newcomer recently revealed how the team won him over, pointing to their aggressive chase for him right from the get-go and his connection with new team president Mike Gansey.
Wade, who previously spent seven seasons playing for the Cavaliers, hit the open market with a relatively strong market. A handful of playoff teams aside from the 76ers were rumored to have registered interest in bringing him in such as the Lakers, Clippers, Pistons. Of course, his former ball club also wanted to keep him in the fold. Eventually, Philly pulled the right strings to snag him from those squads.
Dean Wade reveals the real reason he picked the 76ers in free agency
In a recent interview with NBA reporter Brett Siegel, Wade revealed that Philadelphia’s brain trust came out strong in the open market, going after him and his camp right when free agency opened. He also added that his relationship with Gansey, the very man who bought in on his potential as an undrafted prospect in 2019, ultimately sealed the deal in his free agency decision.
“The 76ers were super interested as soon as they could start talking with me in free agency. Mike and those guys were calling me non-stop during the first five hours or so of free agency, and that told me everything I needed to know about how much they valued me. And having Mike, someone who has always believed in me and supported me, goes a long way.”
Before the offseason began, it was pretty obvious that the 76ers would need a new forward to install on the roster. Then-starter Kelly Oubre Jr. was a major flight risk and indeed left for the Pacers, and overall, the team simply lacked size at the forward positions.
In light of Wade’s versatility as a multi-positional defender, his ability to hit open threes, and ranginess and size, it made a ton of sense for the 76ers to mount an aggressive chase for his services. Even better, he was not an expensive commodity, which was a sheer luxury to have for someone whom they believed would be starting games for them had it not been for LeBron James heading to Philly.
Thankfully, the front office recognized their need for someone of Wade’s ilk and acted promptly. After all, they were definitely not alone in the queue for the veteran forward, and it would be a waste not to capitalize on Gansey’s familiarity with the coveted free agent.
Now, Dean Wade is expected to give the 76ers a steady hand off the bench. In fact, he might be poised for an even bigger role than expected, which speaks volumes as to his ability to impact winning without needing the ball in his hands.
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