Dwyane Wade says he, LeBron James and Chris Bosh will huddle together before free agency

The Miami Heat, unlike any team in NBA history, were assembled by players rather than management.

Pat Riley shrewdly cleared cap space and presented a good landing spot in Miami. But if LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh didn’t sell each other – and buy each other’s pitches – on teaming up, the Heat’s Big Three era never would have happened.

The Heat as we know them were a collective decision by LeBron, Wade and Bosh. So, the Heat as we will know them going forward will also be collective decision by LeBron, Wade and Bosh

Wade, via Darren Rovell of ESPN:

“I’m at a position where I don’t really have to worry about it,” said Wade, who also won a title for the Heat in 2006. “I’ve been with the same organization for now 11 years. We’ve won multiple championships, so it’s no reason where I need to think about that yet. I’m not at a point where we are a bad team and I need to think about the future so right now I’m really focused on just enjoying this team, enjoying our quest to try to ‘Three-peat.’ And when the season is over, and whatever happens, then I will sit down and I will sit down with Chris and I will sit down with Bron and I will sit down and make the best decision for myself and my family.”

As you’ve surely heard, each of the Big Three can opt out of his contract this summer. To do that needn’t be a collective decision. A player can opt out and then re-sign to get more long-term security, joining teammates who did not opt out.

But whether or not to stay with the Heat, I suspect, will be a collective decision. And I would be surprised if these three choose to leave Miami unless something goes very wrong between now and the end of the season – and I mean more drastic than failing to win a third straight title.

Even if there are underlying issues between the Big Three, this post-postseason meeting will be a great chance to iron them out. Really, I’d guess the conversation will go smoothly, though.