CLE

2025-26 Season

DEAN WADE

Cleveland Cavaliers | Forward-Center | 6-9
Dean Wade
5.8 PPG
4.2 RPG
1.5 APG
22.4 MPG
-1.1 Impact

Wade produces at an below average rate for a 22-minute workload.

NET IMPACT BREAKDOWN
Every stat, every credit, every cost — per game average
-1.1
Scoring +3.3
Points 5.8 PPG × +1.00 = +5.8
Missed 2PT 0.5/g × -0.78 = -0.4
Missed 3PT 2.2/g × -0.87 = -1.9
Missed FT 0.2/g × -1.00 = -0.2
Creation +2.2
Assists 1.5/g × +0.50 = +0.8
Off. Rebounds 1.1/g × +1.26 = +1.4
Turnovers -0.6
Turnovers 0.3/g × -1.95 = -0.6
Defense +1.2
Steals 0.8/g × +2.30 = +1.8
Blocks 0.4/g × +0.90 = +0.4
Def. Rebounds 3.2/g × +0.30 = +0.9
Fouls Committed 2.5/g × -0.75 = -1.9
Hustle & Effort +3.0
Contested Shots 4.9/g × +0.20 = +1.0
Deflections 1.9/g × +0.65 = +1.2
Loose Balls 0.3/g × +0.60 = +0.2
Screen Assists 0.8/g × +0.30 = +0.2
Off. Fouls Drawn 0.1/g uncredited × +2.70 = +0.4
Raw Impact +9.1
Baseline (game-average expected) −10.2
Net Impact
-1.1
35th pctl vs Forwards

About this model: Net Impact can't measure floor spacing, help defense rotations, or playmaking gravity — so wings and guards are slightly undervalued vs bigs. How Net Impact works

SKILL DNA

Percentile rank vs 227 Forwards with 10+ games

Scoring 23th
5.9 PPG
Efficiency 35th
54.9% TS
Playmaking 46th
1.5 APG
Rebounding 54th
4.3 RPG
Rim Protection 65th
0.16/min
Hustle 75th
0.12/min
Shot Creation 50th
0% pullup
TO Discipline 99th
0.01/min

THE SEASON SO FAR

Dean Wade spent the first quarter of the season trapped in a maddening cycle of offensive passivity and defensive survival. He opened the year looking like an ideal role player, posting a +5.7 impact score on 10/22 vs NYK by drilling all three of his attempts from deep and executing flawless weak-side rotations. But that aggression quickly vanished. During a brutal -12.2 impact showing on 10/26 vs MIL, he passed up open looks and bricked the few perimeter shots he took, severely cramping the half-court spacing. He occasionally salvaged his value through sheer grit, like when he managed a +2.1 impact on 10/31 vs TOR despite shooting a miserable 1-for-7 from the floor. His smothering point-of-attack defense completely erased his matchup that night, keeping him playable when his jumper abandoned him. Ultimately, Wade's effectiveness fluctuated violently based on his willingness to pull the trigger. When he hesitates to let it fly from deep, he shrinks the court for everyone else, turning his minutes into a glaring offensive liability.

Dean Wade’s midseason stretch was defined by a maddening offensive passivity that routinely sabotaged his otherwise sturdy defensive presence. Look no further than 12/19 vs CHI. He managed just 2 points and posted a brutal -14.4 impact because his complete refusal to attack allowed defenders to freely roam and double-team primary creators. Even when his outside shot finally fell, hidden costs often dragged down his overall value. During 12/23 vs NOP, he scored 11 points but still recorded a -2.9 impact because his floor time coincided with massive opponent runs. Yet, when he committed to decisive action, his on-court value skyrocketed. On 01/24 vs ORL, Wade generated a massive +12.3 impact on a mere 10 points because his flawless 4-for-4 shooting and suffocating defensive rotations completely tilted the math. He remains a fascinating rotational piece, but his crippling hesitation too often leaves his team playing four-on-five on the perimeter.

IMPACT TIMELINE

Game-by-game performance vs average. Green = above average, red = below.

PATTERNS

Boom-or-bust player. Wade's impact swings wildly relative to his average — some nights dominant, others invisible. Scoring varies by ~4 points per game.

Middle-of-the-road efficiency — shoots 45%+ from the field in 41% of games. Not automatic, but not a problem either.

Defensive difference-maker. Wade consistently forces tough shots and protects the rim — opponents shoot worse when he's guarding them.

MATCHUP HISTORY

Based on 59 games with tracking data. Shows who guarded this player on offense and who he guarded on defense, with their shooting stats in those matchups.

ON OFFENSE: WHO GUARDED HIM

His shooting stats against each primary defender this season

J. Brunson 56.5 poss
FG% 50.0%
3P% 33.3%
PPP 0.09
PTS 5
D. Bane 54.5 poss
FG% 75.0%
3P% 50.0%
PPP 0.13
PTS 7
B. Miller 51.0 poss
FG% 66.7%
3P% 33.3%
PPP 0.18
PTS 9
J. Giddey 48.1 poss
FG% 0.0%
3P% 0.0%
PPP 0.0
PTS 0
M. Bridges 46.0 poss
FG% 60.0%
3P% 75.0%
PPP 0.2
PTS 9
M. Buzelis 42.6 poss
FG% 33.3%
3P% 0.0%
PPP 0.05
PTS 2
S. Sharpe 37.2 poss
FG% 0.0%
3P% 0.0%
PPP 0.0
PTS 0
B. Portis 33.9 poss
FG% 25.0%
3P% 0.0%
PPP 0.06
PTS 2
C. Flagg 33.8 poss
FG% 75.0%
3P% 100.0%
PPP 0.24
PTS 8
B. Ingram 32.5 poss
FG% 0.0%
3P% 0.0%
PPP 0.0
PTS 0

ON DEFENSE: WHO HE GUARDED

How opponents shot when he was the primary defender. Lower FG% = better defense.

K. Knueppel 65.2 poss
FG% 50.0%
3P% 50.0%
PPP 0.18
PTS 12
D. Bane 59.8 poss
FG% 41.7%
3P% 50.0%
PPP 0.22
PTS 13
P. Banchero 54.7 poss
FG% 25.0%
3P% 0.0%
PPP 0.18
PTS 10
J. Brunson 52.1 poss
FG% 6.7%
3P% 0.0%
PPP 0.12
PTS 6
J. Giddey 48.5 poss
FG% 36.4%
3P% 33.3%
PPP 0.19
PTS 9
M. Turner 36.4 poss
FG% 0.0%
3P% 0.0%
PPP 0.0
PTS 0
B. Portis 36.0 poss
FG% 100.0%
3P% 0.0%
PPP 0.06
PTS 2
N. Powell 33.2 poss
FG% 57.1%
3P% 33.3%
PPP 0.33
PTS 11
Z. Williamson 30.8 poss
FG% 57.1%
3P% 0.0%
PPP 0.26
PTS 8
B. Miller 30.7 poss
FG% 55.6%
3P% 0.0%
PPP 0.39
PTS 12

SEASON STATS

57
Games
5.8
PPG
4.2
RPG
1.5
APG
0.8
SPG
0.4
BPG
43.2
FG%
35.4
3P%
71.1
FT%
22.4
MPG

GAME LOG

57 games played