At the peak of NBA free agency chaos in 2010, the possibilities of team-ups among top-tier stars were all one could talk about. The phrase “Big 3” began to buzz across arenas and boardrooms alike, which symbolized a new age of NBA empowerment that set a standard. Dwyane Wade, who had already had an NBA title and a Finals MVP from 2006, becoming a beloved Miami Heat icon, was quietly laying the groundwork for something bigger than basketball– a cultural shift. But he may have gotten it wrong.

Wade, LeBron James, and Chris Bosh eventually made up the famous Miami Heat trio that changed the game for a generation. But the way wasn’t always clear. Amare Stoudemire was on the Heat’s radar long before the ink dried on the contracts and the championships came in. Wade opened up on a recent episode of Pardon My Take, offering a rare look at the talks that could have led to a very different Big 3, one that didn’t include Bosh at all.

Wade said on the podcast that the plan for the Heat’s Big 3 didn’t always have Bosh’s name on it. In fact, Wade and James had a lot of proposals from other stars who wanted to work with them. “We got calls from Amare, [Carlos] Boozer… and we had to look and see if those personalities and those talents obviously worked with us,” Wade said. While Wade and LeBron had already made their mutual commitment, the choice of the third man was crucial.

The vision, it turns out, was rooted in chemistry, not just talent. “Chris Bosh was the reliever for us… more than Amare or even Boozer,” Wade said that they needed someone who could adapt without always having the ball. Still, the fact that Wade tried to get Stoudemire to Miami a full year earlier, in 2009, adds a fascinating twist to NBA history. “I was trying to get us to trade for Amare… and they were like, ‘No, we trying to be patient.’ I said, ‘Patient gonna get me out the door.”

If Pat Riley and the Miami Heat executive office had listened to Wade in 2009, the NBA’s history could have been very different. Stoudemire was a powerful player for the Phoenix Suns who had had several great seasons, averaging 21.4 points and making 5 All-Star teams. His pick-and-roll technique was quite dynamic and may have worked well with Wade. “Amare, Bron, and I—man, it would have been dominant,” Wade mused. But, he said, power doesn’t always mean getting along. Stoudemire’s skills weren’t as good as Bosh’s when it came to the space and ball-sharing that made Miami’s system what it was.

Bosh’s ability to stretch the floor and willingness to take a backseat let LeBron and Wade both do well at the same time. The Heat didn’t only need stars; they needed stars who were willing to give up something for a better cause for the team. Bosh, who wasn’t renowned for asking for attention or shots, was the glue guy, especially in the playoffs when he made a big rebound and assist in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals. If you ask him, Bosh would tell you that trio couldn’t get better.

“I look back on that time, and I would describe it as epic,” he said in his documentary, Rebuilt. “We had Bron, we had D [Wade]… Back then, we ate together, we practiced together, we played together all the time.” It was bound to come to an end, no matter what Pat Riley and so many others believed. But while it lasted, it did change the trajectory of free agency.

Dwyane Wade Forgets Carmelo Anthony, and the Roads Not Taken

Wade didn’t bring up Carmelo Anthony, a fellow 2003 draftee pick, friends since teenagers, and perennial All-Star, as a genuine alternative during those conversations. Anthony had just signed a new deal with Denver, so he was never really in the running for the Big 3. This just shows how well the Heat put their team together. Chemistry wasn’t simply a phrase; it was the foundation of their plan, which turned out to be good in the long run.

Even Carlos Boozer, who had history with LeBron in Cleveland, was considered. But as Wade joked on the podcast, “I would have loved to hear Boozer’s pitch… was he like, ‘It’s okay, I got this. Don’t worry, I’m not going to take any shots.” The lightheartedness hid a serious truth: the Heat’s executive staff and core players were carefully checking not only basketball skills but also personalities and attitudes of the players before even thinking to start any discussions.

In 2010, Stoudemire finally signed with the Knicks and had a short revival, but injuries and bad roster fits made his time there difficult. The Heat’s Big 3, on the other hand, went on to play in four finals, where they lost two and won two championships, and became one of the most noteworthy squads in league history.

In hindsight, Wade’s early efforts to lure Amare or the front office’s decision to be patient for Bosh speak volumes, as this takes the conversation to the speculative ‘what-ifs’ of the sport. But everything happens for a reason, and Miami had a great run, but 2014 was the time the Big 3 dismantled, and this demonstrated the nature of sports: enjoy it while it lasts.