His 26.6 scoring average indicates he's still one of the NBA's best offensive weapons. But reports out of Miami say Heat superstar Dwyane Wade isn't quite where he could be, or where he should to be.
"He's not there right now," Heat president Pat Riley told reporters last week in Florida. "His efficiency is down somewhat this year, and we're addressing it with him."
The Utah Jazz will get a first-hand look at Wade when they visit the Heat tonight at AmericanAirlines Arena.
In 10 previous games against the Jazz, Wade has averaged 30 points 6.8 assists and 4.9 rebounds.
Last March, he scored 50 points in a triple-overtime victory over Utah.
While Wade still continues to play at a high level, especially on the offensive end, his shooting percentage this season is at an all-time low.
A career 48-percent shooter, the 27-year-old is hitting at just above 43 percent this season.
And more than just shooting a lesser percentage, Wade hasn't been finishing as powerfully at the basket; and some of his outside shots have come up short.
Some have hinted that Wade's conditioning hasn't been up to his usual standards.
"If Dwyane is down 10 or 15 percent (in efficiency) from what he was last year, then, as he said in the press the other day ... everybody has to look in the mirror about how to make this year better," Riley said.
Riley said Wade is not above constructive criticism from management.
"I manage the team and there isn't anybody that loves Dwyane more than me, and there isn't anybody that will be more honest with him than me, either," Riley added. "And I think he respects that. There isn't anybody in this organization, believe me, walking around on eggshells because of Dwyane."
Following a practice last week, Wade explained to reporters that he had been talking about getting his legs back after the rigors of the first six weeks of the season, not that he ever felt limited by conditioning.
"That's not an issue at all," he said. "If people have high expectations of me, that's great."
Miami goes into tonight's game with the Jazz with a record of 13-12, good enough for third place in the Southeast Division.
So far this month, the Heat are 4-5. Before losing to Portland on Sunday, they won two in a row, topping Toronto and Orlando at home.
Wade is averaging 25.7 points per game this month, on 44 percent shooting.
In last Sunday's 102-95 loss to Portland, he shot 13-for-31 from the field, 0-for-3 from behind the 3-point arc.
"I can play a lot better," he said. "I pride myself on efficiency. I haven't been as efficient as I have in the past."
* JAZZ TRADE HARPRING, MAYNOR: Late Tuesday afternoon, the Jazz announced they had traded rookie point guard Eric Maynor and injured forward Matt Harpring to Oklahoma City.
In exchange, Utah gets the rights to 6-11 German-born forward Peter Fehse, a second-round draft pick of the Seattle SuperSonics in 2002.
Maynor, the 20th pick in last June's draft, appeared in 26 games for the Jazz, averaging 5.2 points and 3.1 assists.
Harpring, 33, has not played for the Jazz this season. He has been battling knee and ankle injuries. He is in the final year of his contract and will not play for the Thunder during the 2009-10 season.
"Trading Eric was a difficult decision," said general manager Kevin O'Connor. "But, along with Matt's contract, it greatly helps reduce our luxury tax responsibility. Fortunately with Deron and a proven backup in Ronnie Price we feel that we have depth at that position."
Fehse currently plays for Mitteldeutscher BC Weissenfels in the German League. From 2004-2008 he suited up for the New Yorker Phantoms, also in the German League.
With only 12 players now on their roster, the Jazz will be forced to add another player.
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