Remember the Miami Heat before LeBron James‘ arrival? The squad won its first championship in 2006 led by Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O’Neal. Following their title run, D-Wade suffered a serious injury which affected the Heat’s next four years. And that’s when they welcomed LeBron James, a move that would win them two more titles. Nevertheless, while Bron was the most dominant force in the league at the time, the Heat missed out on a crucial role player.

Dorell Wright, the 6’9″ forward had a decent record in Miami. He spent his first six years with the Heat, averaging 6.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.5 assists while shooting 46% from the field. Now, at first, his numbers don’t seem to be impressive at all. However, after six years in Miami, Wright signed with the Golden State Warriors in 2010, right before James took his talents to South Beach. And for the most part, Wright wanted to team up with the King. But why couldn’t he?

Well, it may have been the case that D-Wade did not want to reveal James’ arrival to anyone. Wright even asked Wade while trying to come up with a decision. “Man, no man, I’m a little upset about that cause I asked my dawg man I was like ‘Man is Bron coming? Like, tell me.’ Cause I’m thinking I’m Heat lifer, I ain’t going nowhere. When you somewhere for six years, you think you going to be there for the rest of your career… And then I remember asking D-Wade, I said, ‘Is Bron coming?’ He was like, ‘Bro I don’t even know.’ I think he was (he couldn’t). It’s all good though.”, Wright said in the ‘Run Your Race’ show, when asked whether he knew LeBron James was joining the Heat.

If anything, signing with the Warriors was the best decision of his career. Wright did not miss a single game in his first season as a Warrior. From averaging 7 points a game the year before, Wright averaged 16.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3 assists while shooting over 42% from deep. Moreover, he led the league in three-pointers. He was even ranked third in the MIP rankings.

However, Wright’s career didn’t last long after his best season. He went on to play for another year in Golden State before joining the Sixers. From there, Wright signed with the Blazers where he played his last couple of seasons.

LeBron James and the Heat could have used Wright
While James and D-Wade were having a blast of their own, the squad could have used some help at the fourth. Yes, Wright would have come off the bench, but then again, he could have been a great replacement for James. Not to mention, he shot 39% from deep the year before the King’s arrival. James was in the middle of an MVP-caliber season, but as the playoffs approached, James could have used some help. Besides he was averaging a whopping 44 minutes a game during the 2011 postseason.

Also, James struggled in the Finals against the Mavericks. With Wright coming off the bench, James could have used a breather before getting back on the floor. But in the end, all worked out for the best, especially for Wright. He retired after 11 seasons, spending his most productive years in Golden State.