Milwaukee Bucks to meet with Dwayne Wade Wednesday

Sources: Denver, Dwyane Wade free agent meeting ongoing now in NY. The Denver Nuggets, Chicago Bulls, Milwaukee Bucks are potentially the Cleveland Cavaliers are courting Wade, but the Heat want to prevent a divorce. One of the team’s primary owners, Marc Lasry, is expected to meet with Wade and his representatives.

Wade is reportedly hoping to secure a two-year, million deal and the Cavs’ can only offer him about $3.5 million as they stand now. The deal pays Whiteside $22 million in its first year, which leaves the Heat with only $19 million in cap space this season, less than what Wade wants. West, a 6-foot-9 forward who played for San Antonio last season, will sign a one-year deal with Golden State for $1.55 million, the veteran’s minimum, according to multiple reports.

The likely outcome here still is Wade returning to the Heat, but this appears to be a more tenuous situation than last summer when there was a contract standoff.

We will have to wait and see how the Nuggets meeting goes tomorrow but Wade has made it clear he will be looking at all of his options: Nuggets, Bulls, Cavs, and the Heat as well, hopefully. There might not be an athlete more beloved than Wade in the city’s history. Le Batard reports that Wade refused to help the Heat recruit Durant, instead leaving for vacation (with LeBron James, it should be noted).

Nevertheless, Wade, who has become synonymous with the South Florida sporting community, has been aggressive in the marketplace, letting teams know that he’s serious about considering a move out of Miami, sources said.

In the end, Wade and the Heat may end up finding commonground – most people don’t believe Wade will really choose Denver over Miami. All of his life, Wade has sacrificed for the Heat, and now he is in search of respect.

Both the Nuggets and Bulls could afford the $50 million over two years that Wade is seeking. That makes them an even better team than they were and that’s saying something considering that they won 73 games a year ago and were within a game of winning two-straight NBA Finals.