Not only did Dwyane Wade back Jimmy Butler for moving away to the Warriors, he also shared his grievance for the Heat. “I just hate that for us. I hate that for Miami.” The struggle for the franchise continues as they recently snapped their 10-game losing streak but languish at the final play-in spot. But another team with a connection to D-Wade is at the top of the Eastern Conference. And they can make the run for the championship if Donovan Mitchell balls out.

“No insecurities in Donovan when we watched him. So when you see him play you see that you know you see he’s not having insecurities out there. If this guy’s having success or this guy’s having success, he’s being Donovan Mitchell.” Dwyane Wade was proud of the intangibles that the 6x NBA All-Star brings to the table. Currently, Spida is the top scorer for the team, with his 23.8 average points per game. But there have been streaks where he hasn’t performed on those levels.

That’s why the 3x NBA champion wants the 28-year-old to lock in. “He’s doing what he needs to do on any given night. And that if Donovan Mitchell plays at the level that we know he can play at, the Cleveland Cavaliers have a great shot to win the championship.” There have been times when the New York native has scored in single digits and scored lower than his regular season average.

In fact, his current average is not his career best, as that would be during his first year with the Cavs when he averaged 28.3 points per game. Dwyane Wade knows that because he shares a personal connection with Mitchell. And the relationship goes way back to the time when the Heat icon became a team owner for the first time.

Looking into Dwyane Wade and his connection with Donovan Mitchell

In April 2021, D-Wade became a minority owner for the Utah Jazz and still holds the position. At the time, it was Spida who was their top player, as the franchise selected him back in the 2017 draft. There were times when The Flash was courtside watching his team from the sidelines. Many picked up his bond with Donovan Mitchell, but their relationship goes way back.

ESPN previously reported that Dwyane Wade noticed the Cardinals alum after his rookie season. Thus, he invited him and other players for a workout. “He’s just always been there for me in that right and also just in life as someone I can lean on and ask questions, like a big brother.” That’s how Mitchell described his bond with the 3x NBA champion. Furthermore, in 2o21, D-Wade shared some tips that would be true in today’s scenario.

“Make sure that your effort every day is championship quality efforts. Make sure you carry yourself as a champion so that when you become one when you get that opportunity, it’s not foreign to you. You know how to act, you know how to do it, you know how to respond to it.” Plus, there were rumors about Spida joining the Heat franchise when he left the Jazz back in 2022. Some reports also suggested D-Wade approved the move.

But it was the Cavs who eventually ended up signing the 28-year-old. Now, he leads them to the top of the Eastern Conference, while the Heat languishes at 10th place. So, the history of Donovan Mitchell and Dwyane Wade extends to the three teams the former was part of.