Wade seeks clarity from Bulls before decision on his future

CHICAGO—On an overcast day, Dwyane Wade wore sunglasses indoors. His future is equally cloudy and obscured, although the 14-year veteran had a sunny disposition addressing it.

Reflective and transparent throughout a 19-minute session with reporters directly after meeting with management, Wade said he will take his time deciding whether to exercise his player option of $23.8 million. Directional clarity from management, specifically on the future of close friend Jimmy Butler, will play a major factor—but not the only one.

“Jimmy is, you know, a huge component in me being here. You know, what’s his future like? But at the end of the day it is a me decision,” Wade said. “Everyone knows that Jimmy’s my guy, and I’m here because of our conversation (last summer). But a lot of it depends on the whole, big picture. Jimmy’s a big piece, but it’s a big picture as an organization.”

Wade has been making pros and cons list for big decisions since his days at Marquette. He said regardless of where he is in the world, he would fly to meet with management in a few weeks.

Executive vice president John Paxson and general manager Gar Forman are expected to address reporters next week.

“They want a defined vision and view of where they’re going too,” Wade said. “And as players, with player options, you want that too. I want it smack dead in my face of how it’s gonna be, what their thought of my role or position could be here—all of it. I respect Gar and Pax from the relationship I’ve been able to develop with those guys.

“Whether there are a lot of options (elsewhere in the league) or not, I’m in a very good situation. As a player, you can decide what you want to do. And I have a lot of money to decide if I want to take it or not. It’s not a bad thing because I worked my butt off for it over my career, so no rush in my mind. I’ve got at least a month before my mind starts going there. I’m just going to get away and let my hair grow a little bit, get a tan.”

Wade, whose oldest child is playing high school basketball here, also has made it clear family will play a factor in his decision.

Wade said if he chooses to return that he’d be comfortable recruiting players in free agency. But he warned the circumstances would be drastically different than when he helped land LeBron James and Chris Bosh in 2010 and the Heat made four straight NBA Finals.

“It just so happened one of my good friends is one of the best players to ever play the game of basketball on the planet. And something great happened out of it,” Wade said. “That was then. This is now. It’s a different time.

“When I did that the first time, it was, ‘Let’s win championships.’ I don’t want to tell someone to come here just to come here because I need a friend. If you feel that the team is put in position that that one person or two people would take you to that next level, then I would make that call. But I’m not making that call just to be making a call.”

Wade said he’s “an open-minded person” when asked if he’d return in a sixthman role. He will turn 36 in January. And it’s clear he’s leaving all options open.

“I don’t need to ring chase, but I can. It’s a great luxury to have,” Wade said. “Or I can be a part of passing down my knowledge to younger players. It’s either way. Whatever I decide, I’m going to embrace whatever role I have on a team. That’s sometimes being the second option. Sometimes I’m going to be the first. And sometimes this season, I had to be the third or fourth. It all changes, and you want to be the best at whatever role is presented to you. I’ve always been that way. It won’t change. That will always be me.”

Acknowledging that his fine from management for criticizing teammates was a first in his career, Wade reiterated he respected the decision. Coach Fred Hoiberg also brought Wade off the bench that game.

“I respected their decision to fine me. I didn’t like the benching part,” Wade said. “But it’s their organization and what they decide from at the top. You live with it.

“As a player, I want to use my voice the way I want to use it. As an organization, they didn’t appreciate the way it was said—not what I said. My biggest thing and my message— and you can always look back on it and say, ‘Yeah, I could’ve done this differently’—was about just trying to make sure guys understand just how important this is.”

Wade takes his career and decisions seriously. And despite a rocky season, he doesn’t regret leaving the Heat for the Bulls.

“I was embraced—not only by the city, by up top, the coaches, the players,” he said. “And it was some good moments and some bad moments, just like every season. But I don’t regret my decision at all.”