3 Most Overpaid Cavaliers Heading Into the 2023 Season

3. Dean Wade

Dean Wade has been a serviceable bench player for Cleveland over the last few years. His efforts were rewarded when he was handed a three-year, $18.5 million extension last September.

While Wade started off the 2022-23 campaign hot, things didn't last long. He dealt with a shoulder injury throughout the year, also forcing him to miss 38 games — including 24 in a row at one point.

Whenever he did suit up, he hardly looked like a player deserving of his new extension. In his final 27 games (25 regular season, two postseason), the former Kansas State Wildcat averaged just 3.7 points and 0.8 threes on .372/.306/.667 shooting splits.

If Wade begins the new schedule from where he left off, he's definitely overpaid at a $5.7 million cap hit. His main role on the team is to shoot open shots and if he's only succeeding at 30.6% from beyond the arc, it's hard to justify his spot on the roster.

Staying healthy throughout the year is crucial if Wade wants to justify his salary. The only issue is that he's missed an average of 29 games over the last three years, meaning Cavaliers fans have the right to be concerned regarding his ability to handle a huge slate.

If he can't prove his doubters wrong right away, more people will come around to see that Wade is overpaid.

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