Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade was many things during his Hall of Fame career. All-Star. Prolific scorer. Champion. 

Longtime NBA guard Michael Carter-Williams isn’t inclined to include the word “leader” on Wade’s extensive resume. 

Carter-Williams and Wade played together for the Chicago Bulls during the 2016-17 season. The Bulls hoped a Big Three of Wade, Jimmy Butler, and Rajon Rondo could make some noise in the Eastern Conference. 

Things didn’t go to plan. Chicago barely snuck into the playoffs as the eighth seed, and Wade missed time with a fractured elbow. Wade and the Bulls agreed on a buyout ahead of the 2017-18 season. 

Carter-Williams reflected on his lone season playing alongside Wade during a recent appearance on FanDuel TV’s Run It Back show. MCW said he believes Wade didn’t know his role and found himself in a “tough position.”

“There was times where he would be a leader and speak on his past experiences and try to put us on game to certain things and try to lead the best way he could,” Carter-Williams said. “And then there was times where maybe we thought he could’ve been a better leader.”

The Bulls fined Butler and Wade for criticizing their teammates’ effort in January 2017. Rondo ripped the two veterans in an Instagram post and was also fined. 

“I think that havin’ Jimmy [Butler] and havin’ [Rajon] Rondo, I just, again, I just think [Wade] was tryna figure it out,” Carter-Williams said. “At times, I could see why people would say that, like, ‘He’s not bought in.’ He was injured a lot of the times. I think us as players needed to realize, like, ‘He is older.’”

ESPN reported in August 2017 that the Bulls’ younger players “really can’t stand” Wade. 

Wade ended his career with the Heat in 2019. Miami retired his No. 3 a year later, and he received a statue earlier this year. 

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Jake Elman works as a contributing writer to Miami Heat on SI. He can be reached at jakeelman97@gmail.com or follow him on X @JakeElman97.

Associated Press

Charleston Southern Buccaneers (1-7) at Miami Hurricanes (3-3)

Coral Gables, Florida; Saturday, 2 p.m. EST

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Hurricanes -23.5; over/under is 151.5

BOTTOM LINE: Charleston Southern visits Miami (FL) after Taje’ Kelly scored 20 points in Charleston Southern’s 91-67 loss to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

The Hurricanes have gone 3-0 in home games. Miami (FL) averages 84.5 points while outscoring opponents by 11.8 points per game.

The Buccaneers have gone 0-4 away from home. Charleston Southern is 0-5 against opponents with a winning record.

Miami (FL) scores 84.5 points, 5.5 more per game than the 79.0 Charleston Southern allows. Charleston Southern averages 6.9 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.4 fewer makes per game than Miami (FL) gives up.

TOP PERFORMERS: Nijel Pack is scoring 15.2 points per game and averaging 2.5 rebounds for the Hurricanes.

RJ Johnson averages 2.1 made 3-pointers per game for the Buccaneers, scoring 10.1 points while shooting 44.1% from beyond the arc.

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

The Miami Heat’s fanbase is starting to grow tired of guard Terry Rozier’s lackluster play.

After landing with the Heat at last year’s trade deadline, Rozier appeared well on track for a strong campaign. Instead, the former Charlotte Hornet has only scored 20 or more points once this regular season.

If the Heat decide to listen to their community and cut ties with him, the fanbase has a perfect replacement idea. Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer reported the Chicago Bulls are willing to part with former No. 2 pick and unpredictable guard Lonzo Ball.

“No surprise, then, that Bulls executives, according to league sources, have been messaging to rival front offices that they are willing to discuss the majority of their roster in trade talks leading up to the Feb. 6 trade deadline,” Fischer wrote on The Stein Line. “Most notably, sources say, Chicago has expressed a desire to move LaVine, Vučević and Ball.”

Heat fans wasted no time calling for the front office to acquire Ball, with one fan writing, “Miami should cut their loses with Rozier and try to make this deal.” The reply gathered more than 100,000 views, and few disagreed with the idea in the comments.

Ball undoubtedly fits the mold the Heat are searching for in a backcourt partner for Tyler Herro, but the health concerns loom large for the former Los Angeles Laker.

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Anthony Pasciolla works as a contributing writer to Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at ampasciolla@gmail.com or follow him on X @AnthonyPasci.