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Dwyane Wade Realizes the Need for Help, Wants a Point Guard

Dwyane Wade has seen his career evolve to a constant state of duplicity. There are always mirror images of status as a superstar. For example, he's simultaneously a fearless aggressor who has an uncanny ability to get to the rim, and attacks with such determination he's almost impossible to stop, even if you foul him. On the other, he winds up spending more time on his back than that chick I dated in college whose nickname I later found out was "Easy McGee." On one hand, he's a spectacular combo guard who's best when he's creating something off the dribble, using his quickness and athleticism to create separation. On the other, he can be a turnover machine when he's in charge of getting the ball up the floor. Last season was a microcosm of those problems, as he missed a substantial time due to a variety of injuries, but still didn't shut it down until late in the season (Pat Riley, I'm raising an eyebrow at you), and his turnovers were at an all-time high.

It looks like Wade has turned a corner of sorts, though. In a recent report by Ira Winderman of the Miami Sun-Sentinel, Wade indicated that he would welcome help at the point position.
"Do I want to set up the offense every time? No, I don't want to do that," he said, as his basketball camp wound down at Florida International University. "I would love to get somebody else in that can handle the ball, as well, at times, and make plays."

So what exactly does this mean, given the scarcity of the free agent market?It's unlikely that Wade's going to get much help this season. As you may have heard, Baron Davis is a Clipper. Monta Ellis is probably not going anywhere. The options after that are pretty slim pickings. You've got Tyronn Lue, but it looks like he's shopping for a contender. Stephon Marbury might become available ... but ... um ... oh, let's go ahead and say it. Heat fans would rather throw themselves off of a pier, preferably a very tall one.

So more than likely, the Heat are looking at a series of stop-gaps or shopping for a trade, which is more likely. And then there's always rookie Mario Chalmers, who's no slouch, and could be a welcome surprise for the Heat. Still, the new position by Wade represents a step forward in his maturity as a player, and a willingness to not put too much on his shoulders. Wade is undoubtedly one of the league's premier players when he's in a system that facilitates his talents. Understanding that will get his career and his team back on track, even if the talent is not yet there.

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