LeBron 'happy' Cavaliers kept Wade away from other suitors

LeBron James knows just how good Dwyane Wade still is at this stage of his career, and is glad he'll be able to call the veteran guard a teammate instead of an opponent in 2017-18.

"I'm happy we were able to keep him away from everybody else," James said Wednesday, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin.

Wade reached a buyout agreement with the Chicago Bulls over the weekend, giving back $8 million of the $23.8 million in salary he was owed to make it happen.

The Cavaliers were considered the favorites to land Wade once his inevitable departure from the Windy City was complete, stemming from his friendship with James, as well as the chance to compete for his fourth NBA title.

He'll be joining Cleveland on a reported one-year deal worth the veteran's minimum of $2.3 million.

Other teams that were reportedly in the mix to bring Wade aboard - the San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat, and Oklahoma City Thunder - are either established contenders or on the rise in their respective conferences. As LeBron mentioned, having Wade on his side keeps a 12-time All-Star with championship pedigree away from direct competition.

The two also have an established chemistry from their days with the Heat, where they won two titles in a four-year span.

"It's kind of like when you start school, and you walk into the classroom not quite sure who your classmates is, and when you walk in and one of your best friends is in there, you're like, 'Oh yeah, it's gonna be fun,'" said James of reuniting with Wade, per USA TODAY Sports' Jeff Zillgitt.