When did Wade become so good off ball?

[aj1987]

Indeed, Allen placed higher than Wade in respect rating last season. Evidently, Wade's remarkable cutting abilities have not gone unnoticed. Heat.com writer Couper Moorhead has chronicled Wade's now-you-see-me-now-you-don't routine, dubbing it "ghost cuts." Last season, Wade scored 147 points on 97 plays ending in a cut, which translates to a ridiculously good payoff of 1.52 points per play. Only Dwight Howard was more efficient. By comparison, leaving Allen open for a catch-and-shoot play last season -- a defensive cardinal sin -- resulted in a 1.2-point average payoff. Wade's move was more deadly.

Wade stood in the corner and described how he works his magic. He preys on his defender as soon as he drifts away and loses focus.

"It's a feeling, but I'm watching my guy's eyes," Wade said. "I'm looking at the ball and where it's going, because sometimes my job is to run to the top of the key, but if I see he's out of position and he's just looking [toward the ball] ..."

Wade darted to the basket.

"... I'm gone."

But that was then, this is now. Can Wade be effective on cuts without James around anymore?

This is the elephant in the room. James is a passing virtuoso who can see above the defenses like he's observing from an air traffic control tower. Wade was always one pass away, and no player assisted Wade's field goals more than James last season.

It remains to be seen whether teams will be willing to pack the paint more when Wade is off the ball. Why respect his cutting game so much if James isn't around to deliver the pass? It turns out Wade would welcome the extra breathing room.

"That'd be great, fine by me," Wade says. "It'd give me a chance to get my 3 off."

Uh-oh. The career 29 percent 3-point shooter wants to shoot more 3s? Teams may be rooting for that counterpunch.

Wade has indeed taken more 3-pointers this preseason. He's shot 2.7 3-pointers every 36 minutes thus far in five games, which would be his highest rate since 2009-10. He made just 30 percent from deep that season.

"It's funny," he says, "because in the last couple games, I've hit a couple 3s and the guys who are guarding me have looked at me like, 'What?'"

The look typically comes from younger players who only know the James-era Wade.

"Y'all forgot that I did shoot 3s," Wade says. "Last three years I just haven't done it."

And that discipline worked in the Heat's favor. Oftentimes, there were better shots available thanks to James' presence. But now the exchange rate has been disrupted with James gone.

The Heat may have lost James' passing abilities, but they hope that free-agent signee Josh McRoberts can fill some of the void. McRoberts, who has missed the preseason with a toe injury, averaged 4.5 assists per game last season in Charlotte, which marks one of the highest rates in the league among big men. And much of those went to Gerald Henderson and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, two players who like to cut off the ball, like Wade.

This introduces an interesting wrinkle for Wade's season, and really the rest of his NBA career. Will he need to start shooting 3-pointers to maintain his gravitational pull as he ages? Or has the attention derived from his cutting game made the 3-pointer irrelevant?

Nonetheless, get ready for more 3-pointers from Wade.

"I'm going to shoot 'em more," Wade says, which sounds a little like a warning than a prediction. "It is what it is."

You have our full attention, Dwyane. Let's see how long it lasts.

now back to your regularly schduled Kobe talk.

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[Fire Colangelo]

Oh wow ^

That was a really great read.

[Dresta]

ive been watching him since college. he played alot of off ball then. for most of his nba career he was the primary playmaker. when lebron joined miami, it was an easy adjustment. it also helps that he's a smart player. and one thing is for sure, wade was the only one that could adjust. thank goodness his iq isnt as limited as bron's.

This.

He's just got great basketball instincts and natural feel for the game, is able to read and react to what defenses are throwing at him, but also to improvise and make decisions on the fly. Lebron knows one way of playing basketball and that's it - i'm not surprised he's struggling to adjust to playing with another guy who wants to run the offense, because he has literally never adjusted his game to accomadate others

[3ball]

this is one of the main reasons kyrie and lebron are unlikely to ever work it out - in reality, wade DID HAVE OFF-BALL capability...

while his bread-and-butter was still as the primary ballhandler - at least that was where he was the most dominant - the off-ball capability has always been there.

this is why lebron and wade DID END UP being able to work it out to the tune of two championships.

but i can't see kyrie ever doing what Wade did, because the same off-ball capability isn't there... you know who COULD pull a wade and play off-ball though?

[Bandito]

How are you so sure? My sources tell me Lebron spent hours last season in the gym with Bosh having 3pt shooting drills.

I'm obviously kidding, but how are you going to say it has nothing to do with Lebron if they adapted to his game? It made them get better in those areas, obviously Lebron didn't sit down with them and teach them.

What sources?