Some Heat Fans Still Steaming Over Wade's Departure
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – News of Dwyane Wade's departure sent fans into a frenzy - some even going as far as burning a D-Wade Miami Heat Jersey Thursday morning.
A day after the news broke, fans are still steaming.
Sports radio hosts got an earful from Miami sports fans looking for answers. Why would Wade who's called Miami home for the past 13 years leave his fan-base?
"It's a funeral man... I'm crying, bro. I mean, the Heat pretty much dead," said one listener.
"You have the face of the franchise who's not here! So who do you look at and blame for that? Pat Riley? I don't know. I think it is," said another listener.
560 WQAM sports radio host Curtis Stevenson said there's been a lot of explanations.
"They want somebody to blame. Was Dwyane too greedy and wanted more money? Did the Heat handle it the right way with Pat Riley assigning Hassan Whiteside first - pursuing Kevin Durant and did Dwyane feel that he wasn't prioritized enough," said Stevenson.
The move - a divorce between arguably the greatest player in the history of the franchise, who was still playing at a high level, and the Heat management.
Stevenson said Heat management will have to fix this with the fans.
"Riley, you know, he'll get up and he'll try to fix this thing and retool this team the best he can but certainly LeBron leaving two years ago was a stunner and Dwyane Wade leaving yesterday was the ultimate shocker," said Stevenson.
At the sneaker store in Kendall, that is the only retailer selling the "Way of Wade" brand, Wade supporters said they'll always be a fan of the athlete in Miami or not.
"That's one of those people that no matter what decision Wade makes, this is Wade county," said Wade Fan Jacob Berg.
