Report: Former Cavs Forward to Reunite With Mike Gansey, Sign With Sixers

The Sixers are on the board on the first night of free agency.

Dean Wade, a staple of Mike Gansey's résumé in Cleveland, is coming to Philadelphia on a four-year, $39 million pact, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.

According to Jake Fischer, the deal is only partially guaranteed in the fourth year.

Wade, 29, will make an estimated $8.7 million in the first year of the deal. It will bring Philadelphia to within roughly $8 million of the luxury tax line. The non-taxpayer mid-level exception is the only way to pay Wade that salary.

So, as we've written here over the last few days, Philadelphia is hard-capped at the first apron. That means the Sixers have approximately $16.6 million available to spend on 3 roster spots.

According to Tony Jones of The Athletic, Quentin Grimes will not be returning to the Sixers. So some of that money will need to go toward adding a guard to support rookie Labaron Philon Jr. in the second unit.

Wade is 6-foot-9 with the requisite weight to match up with his positional counterparts.

He is by no means a fancy add, but nothing encapsulates Wade's value more than his assist-to-turnover ratio last season. Over 59 games played, Wade logged 88 assists against just 16 turnovers last season. He's an example of simplicitly over flash and how making low-risk decisions can lead to hyper-efficient results, even if there's a debate to be had about whether low-risk decision-making is actually detrimental to a team's potential.

Wade will never be a highly productive offensive player. He shot 36% from 3 in each of the last two seasons. Although, he is a corner marksman, netting 41% of those looks in each of the last three seasons, per Cleaning The Glass (CTG).

The decision-making has already been articulated above. Wade's reputation is on the defensive side of the ball, where he's handsy in actions and rangy on passes.

A completely honest assessment of this signing is that it's not terribly creative. Gansey had a pre-existing relationship with Wade. He fills a need, both in skill and position. But this is a little too in the comfort zone for exuberance.

What makes it a fine move is the player who compares to Wade. It's actually a former fan-favorite Sixer.

via CTG	'25-26 Wade	'23-24 Nico Batum
Usage	9.7%	9.1%
Assist %	8.2%	10.3%
Turnover %	5.3%	12.7%
% of shots corner 3	28	39
% of shots 3	67	70
Corner 3%	41	42
All 3%	36	40
Block %	0.9	1.2
Steal %	1.4	1.3
Foul %	2.8	3.0
Off Reb % on missed FGs	4.1	4.8
Def Reb % on missed FGs	14.2	10.4

It's not a completely perfect comparison, but Sixers fans were disappointed when Batum left to return to the Los Angeles Clippers in the summer of 2024. Locking in a younger player in that mold for less than $10 million per year is fine business.

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