Dwyane Wade sticks by Jordan Brand amidst lockout battle

If there's been a surprising villain in the NBA lockout, it's been Michael Jordan, Bobcats owner and, more notably, still the most famous basketball player on the planet. As an occasional leader of the owners' hardline faction, Jordan has stood out as someone who may not be willing to negotiate in good faith, if he's even willing to negotiate at all. Just as he did on the court, he wants to win in a rout.

On the other side, Dwyane Wade has been something of a surprisingly loud voice on the players side, withhis in-meeting confrontation with David Stern having become one of the signature moments of negotiations. Still, that desire for respect from the owners hasn't stopped Wade from reiterating the strength of his business relationship with MJ and his Nike subsidiary Jordan Brand. From a Wade interview with Ira Winderman for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel (via EOB):

Amid the recent height of lockout rancor, Jordan was singled out by several of Wade's union brethren for his uncompromising lockout stance against the players. Wade is among the leading endorsers of Jordan's apparel.

"I really didn't need to get involved in all that," Wade said. "Obviously I wear a different hat than certain other guys that got involved in it. And I stay away from it. I have an obligation and I have a job to do and I'm going to do my job."

Several players vowed to shun Jordan's merchandise, including Paul George, Klay Thompson and, most notably, Washington Wizards guard Nick Young, who posted on his Twitter account, "I'm not wearing Jordans no more. Can't believe what I just seen and heard from M.J. Elvis Done Left The Building."

"That's on Nick Young," Wade said. "That's his moment. Obviously, that's his own choice and decision and, you know, that's something he's going to have to deal with. I can't let that affect me. I have my own things to run, my own stuff to think about what I'm doing with my own shoes.

It's somewhat surprising that Wade would be so open to working with a man who wants to take as much from the players as he possibly can, but the two viewpoints expressed here are actually pretty consistent. In the lockout, Wade wants to hold on to as much of his ability to make profits and win championships as he can. In the endorsement game, he wants to be with the company that can help him sell the most shoes and do the most for his brand.