When Dwyane Wade made the somewhat shocking move to leave Miami (it was more Pat Riley’s decision) this off-season and experienced a homecoming by joining the Chicago Bulls, even though it was a two-year deal with a player option, it felt like Wade was going to retire a Bull.
With a 22-23 start this season and the (shocker) struggles of combining Wade and Rondo in the same back court, 35-year-old Dwyane Wade is at least considering the possibility of opting out of the final year and $23.5 million of his contract to test the free agency waters again.
Although Wade would not make that kind of money in a new contract, unless he wanted to join another middling team in dire need of star power, the chance to take less money and be able to have the feeling of competing for an NBA title another time or two has got to be intoxicating to Wade.
Wade told Nick Friedell of ESPN that he is at least considering opting out of the final year of his current contract:
“I wouldn’t lie to you and say no (this season won’t impact his decision),” Wade said. “Of course. I can’t play this game forever. I just turned 35 and I have a number in my head how long I want to play. At the end of the day you want to be in a situation where it’s a competitor situation, whatever the case may be. It’s tough in this league as well because a lot of that also depends on how much money you’re willing to make. It depends on what city you’re willing to be in. So it’s a lot of variables to that, but no question about it, what happens throughout this year, as I go into my summer, I’ll definitely take a look at it. I take my career seriously and where I am and where I want to be. And I will do the same thing this summer.”
The Bulls will be in an interesting situation this off-season. Their random stop-gap additions, like Wade and Rondo this season, have left them in the same position they were last year which is fighting for a No. 8 seed or landing in the back of the lottery, the no man’s land no NBA team wants to be in with a roster full of veterans.
The Bulls clearly need to rebuild around Jimmy Butler and ending the Wade homecoming after year one may be the best move for both parties.
The Cavs are in search of another play maker off the bench moving forward, Wade could be the missing piece…
