10,000 Reasons to Stay in Miami

November 3, 2009

We knew it would happen sooner or later. With Dwyane Wade's prolific scoring ability, there was no doubt that he would surpass the 10,000-point mark early in his career. And every one of those points gives him a reason to renew his contract at the end of the 2009-10 season.

The moment that Wade was selected by Miami as the 5th overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft he took the Heat on a journey towards success. Just follow the path to the 2006 NBA Championship:

• 2003-04 = Conference Semi-Finals (lost to Indiana Pacers)
• 2004-05 = Eastern Conference Finals (lost to Detroit Pistons)
• 2005-06 = NBA Finals (defeated the Dallas Mavericks)

In a matter of three seasons, the Heat front office was able to draft a franchise player, build a contending team around him and secure their first NBA Championship.

Equally fast was the downfall of the Miami Heat, losing to the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the 2006-07 season and stumbling to a horrendous 15-win 2007-08 season.

Now it seems Miami is back on the rise and is positioned for a historic 2010 NBA offseason - filled with free agents that water the mouths of NBA GMs abound - leading to the ultimate question: Why would Wade want to leave Miami?

Once Pat Riley makes his first free agent or trade acquisition, any fluttering thoughts of parting ways with the Heat will disperse from Wade's mind. That is when he will realize that this team is economically and emotionally invested in him for the rest of his able career.

Every shot he made, every spectacular dunk he slammed and every buzzer beater he sunk will not be in vain as it will have led up to the juicy maximum contract offer that will be waiting at his doorsteps come season's end - all six years and $120 million of it.

The Miami community will forever remember the heroics Wade displayed in a Heat uniform, and will continue to do so once the star guard signs his name on the dotted line and hands it over to Pat Riley in 2010.