The Philadelphia 76ers were aggressive from the jump once the offseason officially began. The front office set out and brought in Dean Wade in the early hours of free agency as the first addition to the roster. The veteran out of Kansas State played a successful role while with the Cleveland Cavaliers and will look to bring his versatile game to Philadelphia.
Wade's numbers don't stand out as he averaged just 5.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.5 assists, but his impact is felt. He is a versatile defender as he can take on big men, but he can also switch onto quicker guards in pick-and-roll situations and slow them down. He defended the likes of Cade Cunningham, Jalen Brunson, Brandon Ingram, and plenty of others in Cleveland's run to the Eastern
Conference finals in 2026.
The Athletic ranked the top 40 forwards in the game and Wade came in ranked at No. 37 on the list. They didn't have much to say about him, but the fact that the 7-year veteran was able to receive the recognition of being on the list despite not having any great stats shows how much of an impact he has on the floor on a regular basis.
When Philadelphia begins the season, coach Nick Nurse will have a number of depth options he can turn to, led by Wade, in a time in the league where depth is super important.
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Where does Sixers' Dean Wade stand in top 40 forward rankings?
