Miami Heat say "Bye-bye" to the Season

"Dwyane Wade dislocated his left shoulder as he was attempting a steal in the second half of their game against the Houston Rockets, February 21, 2007 in Houston, Texas. Wade left the court in a wheelchair and was taken to a hospital."

- ESPN.com

There has been much talk on how grave the injury is. Earliest diagnosis is that he'll be out 6 to 8 weeks, and that's the optimistic view to it. Some say that this is a career-ending or rather a career-changing injury for Wade. No one ever really comes back the same again after an injury like this. I guess we'll have to wait until after a few more days for a more precise diagnosis.

There has also been some debate between Heat fans on whether it would be best for Wade to sit out the season or push himself and try to come back in the playoffs.

Obviously, for Wade's career it would be best if he rested this season (he will undergo surgery by the way). If he manages to come back and play, his conditioning will be suspect at best, specially in his left arm where he'll definitely be weak. His mental conditioning is a factor as well, we don't know if he'll still be attacking the rim relentlessly like he has for years,

On the other hand, the Miami Heat franchise cannot afford to be in a "rebuilding" mode. Players that surround Wade are old and past their prime. Shaquille O 'Neal may be the glue that holds the team together, but Dwyane Wade is their heart and soul. The way that Riley built his franchise is with a "win-now" mentality and they would need Wade as soon as he is available. I'm thinking Riley is not even considering bowing out of the playoff race in the slim hopes of a good lottery pick.

Whatever happens, if Wade plays or not, the season is already lost. Miami is currently the 8th seed in the East and realistically cannot go any higher than this with Wade injured. And with the way the Pistons are playing, it seems that no one can catch them on the 1st seed. With that said, optimistically, the Heat will meet the Pistons in the first round. Realistically though, even if the Heat manages to stay in playoff contention, it is almost impossible for them to beat the Pistons without Wade. The season is practically over.

For true Heat fans, we can only just pray for Wade's health as we convince ourselves of the reality of this infamous 06-07 injury-riddled season. We may have lost the season, but what's important is we do not lose our franchise player for good.