The Miami Heat and Dwyane Wade are parting ways after 13 seasons.
Wade, 34, has reached a two-year deal with the Bulls.
While I was on air, Bulls confirm 2 years and $47.5 million for Wade
— Vincent Goodwill (@vgoodwill) July 7, 2016
All-Star Jimmy Butler and newcomer Rajon Rondo have been recruiting the future Hall of Famer to his hometown, and Chicago is shedding a pair of salaries in order to make room for Wade (though he’ll fall short of a desired $50 million contract.)
"If we land Wade it's going to be a zoo around here. He'd be coming back home. It's the Bulls. Not too many offers better," – Rajon Rondo.
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpearsESPN) July 7, 2016
Chicago is finalzing a deal to send Mike Dunleavy to the Cleveland Cavaliers, league sources tells @TheVertical.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) July 7, 2016
Chicago has traded guard Jose Calderon to the Los Angeles Lakers, league sources tell @TheVertical.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) July 7, 2016
Just got a message from Dwyane Wade: "it's real."
— David Aldridge (@daldridgetnt) July 7, 2016
Mood pic.twitter.com/xdfb7br3U4
— Hassan Whiteside (@youngwhiteside) July 7, 2016
Per Yahoo:
Wade plans to return to his childhood home, where he idolized Bulls icon Michael Jordan as a young boy and moved on to become an All-American at Marquette and a 12-time NBA All-Star with Miami. […] Wade joins a reshaped Bulls lineup that will include Rajon Rondo at point guard and necessitate the move of All-Star shooting guard Jimmy Butler to small forward.
Acrimony over contract talks – and a feeling that the Heat no longer appreciated him – fueled Wade’s decision to leave Wednesday, league sources said.
After meeting with Miami owner Micky Arison on Wednesday in New York, the Heat were unwilling to add a third year to their contract offer to Wade, league sources said. The offer was comparable to Chicago’s, but Wade ultimately decided to leave the franchise with which he had become synonymous during a run for three championships that included partnerships with Shaquille O’Neal and LeBron James.
Keep up with the latest signings during the July free-agency period by following our 2016 NBA Free Agent Tracker.