Chris Paul's Trade Rumors Era (2016)
The Big Three, also known as the Heatles, formed the core of a Miami Heat superteam from 2010–11 to 2013–14, reaching the NBA Finals each year and winning two championships.
The Big Three, also known as the Heatles, were a trio of professional basketball players – LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh – who formed the core of a superteam for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from the 2010–11 season to the 2013–14 season.
- Subject
- Chris Paul Trade Rumors
- Year
- 2016
- Teams Involved
- Miami Heat, Los Angeles Clippers
- Key Figures
- Pat Riley, Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade, Donald Sterling (context)
- Outcome
- No trade completed
- Context
- Post-LeBron James Era Rebuilding
Lore & Background
All three players were part of the 2003 NBA Draft class, with James selected first to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Bosh fourth to the Toronto Raptors, and Wade fifth to the Miami Heat. Bosh played one season of college basketball for Georgia Tech, James was drafted straight from high school, and Wade played three seasons at Marquette University. Wade teamed with Shaquille O'Neal to lead the Heat to the 2005–06 NBA championship. James led the Cavaliers to the 2007 NBA Finals but was swept by the San Antonio Spurs. Bosh earned All-Star and All-NBA nods on the Raptors. The trio began discussing a potential team-up as early as 2006. In the summer of 2010, Bosh chose to sign in Miami, Wade re-signed, and James announced his decision to sign with Miami in the television special The Decision. The trio led the Heat to the NBA Finals in each of their four seasons together, winning two NBA championships.
In Their Own Story
The air in the Miami Heat war room was thick with tension as Pat Riley stared at the whiteboard. Names were scrawled in sharpie: 'Paul,' 'Wade,' 'Whiteside.' The phone buzzed incessantly, but no deal came through. Outside, the South Florida sun beat down on a city waiting for its next hero, while inside, the dream of pairing Chris Paul with Dwyane Wade dissolved into the harsh reality of NBA economics.
Reader's Guide
The Big Three's run included a loss to the Dallas Mavericks in the 2011 NBA Finals, a victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2012 NBA Finals, and a victory over the San Antonio Spurs in the 2013 NBA Finals. James won NBA Most Valuable Player awards in 2012 and 2013 and was named to the All-NBA First Team in all four seasons. Wade was All-NBA Second Team in 2011 and All-NBA Third Team in 2012 and 2013. All three were NBA All-Stars during all four seasons together.
Did You Know?
- James first referred to the trio as 'the Heatles' after a 96–82 road victory over the Charlotte Bobcats on January 3, 2011.
- The trio's four seasons together saw the Heat advance to the NBA Finals each year.
- James won his third league MVP award in 2012, after the 2011 award had gone to Derrick Rose.
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