Dwyane to decide destination Wade agrees to buyout by Bulls, weighing options for next move
MIAMI — Dwyane Wade signed with Chicago before last season in large part because the affinity for his hometown was still very strong.
A year later, he’s about to be on the move.
Wade and the Bulls agreed to terms on a buyout agreement on Sunday, a source with direct knowledge of the talks told Associated Press.
Wade is considering several options, including a return to Miami or a reunion with longtime friend LeBron James with the Cleveland Cavaliers, according to the source who spoke on condition of anonymity because the buyout has not been formally announced.
Wade will have other suitors as well. ESPN reported San Antonio could be a possible landing spot, and Oklahoma City — which added Paul George this summer and will formally complete the trade with New York for Carmelo Anthony on Monday — would also seem to make sense.
Wade has kept his home in Miami, and Heat teammates have made little secret that they would welcome him back with open arms.
On Sunday night, Wade indicated he might decide his next move quickly. Dwyane Wade
“I’m going to take tonight and some of tomorrow and speak to the teams or players that are on my list and go from there,” Wade said.
“My decision is a pure basketball decision and I’ll make the one that fits me best at this point in my career, and with what I feel I have to offer a team that needs what I have to offer.”
Heat president Pat Riley said last week he still rates Wade highly but could not discuss the possibility of trying to bring him back to his team because NBA tampering rules do not allow such conversations on under-contract players.
That contract
My decision is a pure basketball decision and I’ll make the one that fits me best at this point in my career.”
is about to come to a quick close. Wade was due about $24 million this season from the Bulls, who traded away Jimmy Butler this summer and are entering a rebuilding phase.
After the Butler trade, it was evident Wade was getting a buyout — the question was when. Now the question is: Where will he go next?
“Anything that happens from a personnel standpoint down the road, or any opportunities that are there, we’re always going to approach that,” Riley said on Friday.
The opportunity is coming for the Heat, and anyone else who’s interested.
Wade averaged 18.3 points for Chicago and returned from injury late in the season to help the Bulls get into the playoffs.
Over his 14 seasons, Wade has averaged 23.3 points, been to the playoffs 12 times, won three rings and took home the 2006 NBA Finals MVP award.
Bulls president John told CSN Chicago Paxson last week that he and general manager Gar Forman sat down with Wade when the season ended and planned to do so again when Wade went back to Chicago.
Given how quickly the buyout was agreed to, that talk apparently happened fast.