So now Heat fans, as well as the city of Miami, must find a way to give Wade the proper sendoff he deserves. Somehow, some way, fans, the organization, and the community should figure out a way to honor the greatest athlete to ever represent the 305.
What do you give the man who has it all? We've seen a few great ideas, and have a couple of our own. Here is a list of the best.
1. Rename Biscayne Boulevard after Dwyane Wade. Many have rallied around this idea popularized by Brendan Tobin, a sports radio host/producer for 790 AM "The Ticket." To me, "Dwyane Wade Way" rolls off the tongue better than "Boulevard," but whatever the choice, all that matters is that the Heat's home street address includes the name of the greatest player who's ever put on a Miami jersey.GIVE DWYANE BISCAYNE#DwyaneWadeBlvd @CityofMiami @DwyaneWade pic.twitter.com/vN3HEgjXZS
— Brendan Tobin (@Brendan_Tobin) October 23, 2018
Dan Marino has a boulevard named after him near Hard Rock Stadium. It'll happen for Dwyane. Why not now?
2. Gift Wade a percentage of the Miami Heat with an option to purchase more. Via Statista, when Wade entered the league in 2003, the Heat franchise was worth $250 million. Earlier this year, Wade's last, Forbes put the team's value at $1.7 billion.
Cut the man in, Micky Arison. That's no coincidence. Break him off a tiny percentage for it all.
The $1.7 billion valuation was good for the tenth spot in the league. Sure, the Heat would be worth over a billion had Wade never stepped foot on the court, but it's increased by almost seven times. A plaque gifting 1 percent of the team as a going-away present can't be that crazy an idea, and would likely pay for itself in the future if Wade sticks around.
Do the right thing, Micky.
3. Retire Udonis Haslem and Wade's numbers in-season. It's likely this is also the final season for Miami High grad Udonis Haslem. Since coming into the league together in 2003, the pair has collectively entered their names at the top of every Miami Heat record. No player will ever wear #40 or #3 again after these two are finished with them, so let's get the job done now and honor the pair this season.Happy born day my boy. What's understood don't gotta be explained!!! We just gon keep creating memories!!! #og #biggerthanbasketball #brotherhood pic.twitter.com/mDzj1qpSe1
— Udonis Haslem (@ThisIsUD) January 17, 2019
The Heat should surprise Haslem and Wade this year by sending their jerseys up into the rafters next to other legends like Alonzo Mourning. There's no point in waiting five years for the inevitable. Let the guys play a couple of games under them.
4. The University of Miami makes an offer to Zaire Wade. OK, so this is less a "gift" for Wade than it is for Miami. Perhaps you have heard of Wade's son, Zaire. He is also very good at basketball. He plays for American Heritage, a high school in Broward County.
The Heat could team with the University of Miami to offer Wade's son the chance to stay in their adopted home for the foreseeable future. If there's one thing Wade loves more than basketball, it's his family. A recruiting pitch on the jumbotron at halftime wouldn't hurt Miami's chances and would be nice for Wade. Why this didn't happen already?
5. Wine. Just, all of the wine. Dwyane Wade loves two things as much as basketball:
Some things are obtainable only with the right connections. Money isn't really the issue. It's finding something unique and being given the opportunity to own it. The Heat should send Wade into retirement with a bang and stock his wine cellar with rare finds he will enjoy for years.
