“So with the Heat, I ain’t f*** with them at that time.” That’s Dwyane Wade, raw and honest, talking about the moment his relationship with Miami hit a breaking point. For a player who gave everything to a franchise—his prime years, his body, even his leadership—this wasn’t just a professional split. It felt personal. But sometimes, as unfair as things seem, they end up opening unexpected doors—for others, at least. That’s exactly what seems happened for his former teammate, Tyler Johnson.

Johnson opened up on Bring The Juice, reflecting on how Wade’s departure, while a tough pill to swallow, set things in motion for him. And yet, he didn’t sugarcoat the truth about how things seemed unfair against Wade on Miami’s end.

“We knew that D. Wade was going to end up leaving that year… There was some things that had happened… He had sacrificed a lot during the Big three era…” Johnson said, acknowledging the emotional weight behind Dwyane Wade’s exit.

And let’s be honest—Wade did way more than just play ball. Back in 2010, when the Big Three era began, Wade, LeBron James, and Chris Bosh each left serious money on the table to make it work. The Flash agreed to a six-year deal worth $107.5 million — nearly $15 million less than he could’ve taken. That move gave the Heat room to build around them, and it paid off in championships.

So when the time came for the Heat to return that loyalty, Wade expected to be taken care of. Instead, Johnson recalled how the team prioritized other signings first. “He was supposed to get paid. And they ended up signing a couple other guys first. And then there was like, ‘this is kind of just what’s left over…’ Still a great contract, but for what D. Wade meant to that team… Felt a little slighted…”

Eventually, Wade left for the Chicago Bulls. But for Johnson, this shifted things in a surprising direction. “[Dwyane Wade] ended up going to Chicago… And so we knew there was a chance that I might end up back in Miami… But that was ideal… I was happy going back… I wanted to because just, you know, familiar with the organization… But I was also realistic with the idea that I wasn’t gonna go back,” he revealed on Bring The Juice. 

It seems with Wade gone, the Heat didn’t have to make tough roster decisions and the lane quietly opened up for Johnson. But it’s not as if that made it sting any less for Wade back then:

Dwyane Wade once opened up about his departure from the Miami Heat

Back in 2016, when Dwyane Wade left the Miami Heat, it felt like a gut punch to fans who had seen him as the heart of the franchise. So what really pushed the legend to walk away from the only NBA home he’d ever known? Wade got candid about it while chatting with Mike Miller and Udonis Haslem on The OGs—and he didn’t sugarcoat a thing.

“So with the Heat, I ain’t f*** with them at that time,” he said, straight-up. That raw admission spoke volumes. Wade was frustrated, plain and simple. After everything he had done for the team, he expected respect. “I don’t care, give me the ‘ride off in the sunset’ contract,” he added. It wasn’t about his stats anymore. It was about principle, about legacy. He believed he’d earned a certain deal—and when that didn’t come through, he left.

And honestly, can you blame him? Wade didn’t just carry the team—he also made sacrifices most superstars wouldn’t dare to consider. When LeBron James joined the Heat, Wade stepped aside and handed him the keys. “One of the hardest things I had to do in sports,” he admitted. “Go ahead, man. ‘You’re the best player in the world. We’ll follow your lead.'”

That kind of selflessness is rare. So when the same organization couldn’t return the favor with a proper send-off? That’s the kind of thing that sticks with a person. Something that, despite getting what he desired, Tyler Johnson agrees to.