5. Dwyane Wade, Chicago
Dwyane Wade left Wade County to return home, where he’ll be teammates of Rajon Rondo and Jimmy Butler. He’s not the player he once was, but he’s still capable of playing at an All-Star level despite shaky knees and wilting athleticism. With Butler, Wade has openly taken a backseat, and that’s why he’ll return to being a top five shooting guard.
It’s important to preface this paragraph: Jimmy Butler is not and will never be LeBron James. When the Big Three were dominating the East, Wade, despite his knee issues, was able to remain consistent because defenses couldn’t overload on him. Having a teammate that’s an All-Star level player is great because you have someone who can bail you out and carry the team for prolonged stretches. Wade didn’t have that when James left, and Bosh went down. Fortunately, this past year, Miami had capable players off the bench, and Spoelstra didn’t need as many minutes from Wade.
Although he’s played with a future Hall of Famer in LeBron, Wade has never played with someone like Rondo, who is always looking to create for his teammates.
Next: C.J. McCollum