CLEVELAND -- Despite the 0-3 deficit in the NBA Finals they currently find themselves in, if the Cleveland Cavaliers were given the chance to undo their moves at February's trade deadline again, they probably wouldn't.
Sending out six players and bringing back four, the Cavs revamped their roster in an unprecedented mid-season overhaul for a championship contender.
In one deal, Cleveland sent Isaiah Thomas, Channing Frye and a first-round pick to the Los Angeles Lakers, bringing back big man Larry Nance Jr. and reserve guard Jordan Clarkson. In another three-team deal, the Cavs traded away Jae Crowder, Derrick Rose and Iman Shumpert to acquire point guard George Hill and swingman Rodney Hood.
Even though Hill has been the only consistent major contributor for Cleveland throughout its run to a fourth straight NBA Finals, in many ways, the Cavs have benefited from addition by subtraction. But if there was one move general manager Koby Altman made that's fair to question, it was his decision to trade Dwyane Wade to the Miami Heat in exchange for little more than a heavily protected second-round pick.
If at any point during these Finals you've wondered what Wade could provide for Cleveland against the Golden State Warriors, you're not alone.
"Oh, absolutely," LeBron James answered on Thursday when asked if there have been times he wished Wade was still on the Cavs. "Not only from a brotherhood aspect and what we know about one another, and also from an experience factor. I believe that he would have been very, very good for us in the postseason. He's a guy that's kind of built for the postseason at this point in his career, who lives for the moment."
Four months later, the details regarding Wade's departure remain murky.
The most widely accepted explanation for why the Cavs would give away a seemingly capable player is that with the additions of Hill, Hood and Clarkson -- as well as the emergence of rookie Cedi Osman -- the 12-time All-Star's playing time would dwindle. As a favor to the highly respected veteran, the Cavs allowed him to save face by sending him back to Miami, where he spent the first 13 seasons of his career.
As was the case with Thomas, there were also rumblings that Wade had become a problem in what was a combustible Cleveland locker room.
Whatever the rationale, the Cavs traded away a player who had been averaging 11.2 points and 3.5 assists in 23.2 minutes per game. And their failure to adequately replace him hasn't been lost on his longtime friend.
"Obviously, we haven't had many playmakers throughout the course of the season," James said. "We had some early on, and we made the trades."