Miami Heat fans widely regard Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem as franchise legends. However, Haslem nearly ended up playing for another organization if it were not for Wade’s intervention.
Dwyane Wade Opposed Miami’s Attempted Deal for Allen Iverson
Allen Iverson was one of the most exciting stars the league has ever seen. His quick handles, elite finishing, and flashy style of play were a nightmare to guard. Had he been paired in a backcourt with Wade, who was also an elite all-around guard, the two could have formed one of the league’s most dynamic backcourts.
However, this remains one of the biggest “what-ifs” in the league, as Wade wanted to stay loyal to Haslem.
This was revealed while Haslem and Wade were covering the Emirates NBA Cup on Saturday for Amazon Prime’s NBA coverage. According to Wade, he received a call from Pat Riley in 2006, when Riley was the coach of the Heat.
“I had a one-on-one with (Riley) about it,” Wade said. “It went a little bit like this. Riles came in to talk to me about the possibility of trading for Allen Iverson, and that’s one of my favorite players, and I love him. I was like, ‘Bet, let’s do it.'”
Riley then revealed to Wade that Haslem was part of the deal, to which Wade replied, “I’m out.”
“I love A.I., but he wasn’t gonna stick up for me, he wasn’t gonna fight for me, he wasn’t gonna take fines for me or nothing,” Wade continued. “I’m gonna stick with [Haslem], keep my guy here.”
Dwyane Wade told Pat Riley not to trade for Allen Iverson after 2006 finals when he found out UD was in the deal đŸ˜³
“I had a 1 on 1 with Riles about it. Riles said he could trade for A.I. and I was like BET, LETS DO IT. I was like ‘Im in’. He said ‘we’re going to have to trade… pic.twitter.com/A3FDq2O7DN
— Heat Central (@HeatCulture13) December 14, 2025
The Heat were the league’s defending champions that year. However, they were swept in the first round of the 2007 playoffs by a young Chicago Bulls squad. Had Iverson been part of that unit, things might have gone differently, but fans will never know.
Instead, Iverson was traded to the Denver Nuggets, where he teamed up with another superstar, Carmelo Anthony. They reached the playoffs but suffered a first-round exit at the hands of the San Antonio Spurs.
Haslem remained with the Heat until his retirement in 2023. He and Wade went on to win two more titles in 2012 and 2013 alongside LeBron James. In his later years, Haslem served primarily as a locker room leader rather than the on-court enforcer he had been earlier. In 2024, the Heat recognized his contributions by retiring his jersey.
