league reduced to its playoff final four<\/a> of the New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs.<\/p>\n\u201cIn my last conversation, when I talked about them staying kind of how patient the Heat are and they will strike when they\u2019re ready, some people say I walked it back a little bit. And it was like, did someone get to me?\u201d Wade said. \u201cNo, no one\u2019s got to me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Having been on the inside, Wade said there has been an appreciation of the Heat being proactive and not reactive.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think people take things I say, and I respect how they take things I say,\u00a0 because I mean all the things I say,\u201d he said. \u201cBut also, too, just because you say one thing don\u2019t mean it\u2019s not another thing. Just because I said there\u2019s no buzz in the city, that comment that went viral, doesn\u2019t mean that the Heat is going to go out and just make buzz in the city.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust because I want them to compete for championships don\u2019t mean that they\u2019re going to be impatient and not strike the way that they strike. So two things could be right at the same time.\u00a0 So my comments about the Heat was, \u2018Yeah, I\u2019m like you.\u2019 The fan in me and the love of the Miami Heat that we all have, we want to see them in the Eastern Conference finals and competing for championships. But also, too, I know the organization. I\u2019ve been there.\u201d<\/p>\n
As in waiting for Pat Riley and the front office to strike, Wade is more than familiar, including first makeover with initial championship partner Shaquille O\u2019Neal and then LeBron James and Chris Bosh being added in 2010 after two nondescript seasons, similar to the Heat\u2019s past two.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been a player on a roster that was impatient, ready to go \u2013 because I know that my basketball life only has so much in it,\u201d Wade said of his Heat tenure. \u201cI\u2019m like, \u2018Yo, let\u2019s strike, let\u2019s strike,\u2019 and they was like, eh, \u2018No, let\u2019s wait.\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd we waited two years before we struck (in 2010) But when we struck, we struck gold.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Heat remain in such makeover pursuit, linked to trade speculation regarding Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo<\/a> at the moment, while also scouting for their first lottery pick since Tyler Herro was drafted in 2019.<\/p>\nFor his part, Wade continues to nudge.<\/p>\n
From, he said, a good place.<\/p>\n
But also, he said, a passionate place.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut no, it\u2019s never walking back,\u201d Wade continued of his Heat-ed comments. \u201cAin\u2019t nobody getting to me. Everybody know how I am.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf y\u2019all worked with me, you around me, like, y\u2019all know how I am, man. But I also, you know, I\u2019m very opinionated. And, you know, I express those opinions.\u201d<\/p>\n
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