With LeBron James going to the Cleveland Cavaliers and Chris Bosh expected to sign with the Houston Rockets, Dwyane Wade is the lone wolf of Miami's former Big 3. However, the Chicago Bulls have interest in the Chicago native, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
Truthfully, there is not much for Dwyane Wade in Miami with the big three imploding. He has options now and could go to teams where he wouldn’t have to carry a large load. The Bulls are a team with exceptional talent and a great coaching staff.
With Derrick Rose expected to fully recover from his latest knee injury, the Bulls could once again become a top three team in the East barring any more injuries. Additionally, Chicago is reportedly still in play for Carmelo Anthony. If they are able to successfully sign Anthony, Chicago would be an intriguing destination for Wade.
It is obvious that Wade’s ailing knees are influencing his play. He needs help, and the Bulls can provide him with an excellent supporting cast.
The question is how would the Chicago Bulls be able to afford both Anthony and Wade? Carlos Boozer has a $16.8 million expiring contract that would need to go right away. The Bulls plan to either amnesty him or use him in a sign-and-trade. The New York Knicks do not want Boozer’s contract for Carmelo Anthony, though, which makes the process tougher.
In any case, the Bulls will need to get out from under Boozer’s contract and possibly those of Mike Dunleavy and Jimmy Butler to make way for Wade and Anthony. Taj Gibson might also be involved in any possible transaction.
Furthermore, the Chicago Bulls are discussing a deal with Kirk Hinrich, who is also being pursued by the Charlotte Hornets. The Bulls front office will have to decide if dealing a large majority of its rotation is worth taking a shot at Wade and Anthony.
Despite Wade’s injury problems, he still averaged 19.0 points, 4.7 assists, and 4.5 rebounds on 54.5 percent shooting from the field.
Wade’s hometown is Chicago, so the Bulls will be hoping that he accepts a hometown pay cut. In addition, Wade had interest in joining the Bulls during the 2010 costless agency session.