This whirlwind NBA offseason of insane moves and transactions is not over yet. After All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo joined the Chicago Bulls, another superstar, the Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade, has decided to leave his long-time team and join Rondo in his hometown squad.
ESPN reported earlier today that Dwyane Wade announced his intention to leave the Miami Heat and commit to signing with the Chicago Bulls for a $47 million, two-season deal. "This was not an easy decision, but I feel I have made the right choice,'' Wade said in a statement to the Associated Press.
Wade was on a one-year contract with the Miami Heat for the 2015-2016 season, after opting out of his long contract before that. The Chicago Bulls' offer tops that of the Heat's, which only offered $40 million, also for two years. The Denver Nuggets had also made a play for Wade, offering him a whopping $52 million to join them, but Wade decided to return home.
The Bulls had been busy in this hectic offseason clearing up space in their cap room to accommodate Wade, making moves with backup point guard Jose Calderon, sending him to the Los Angeles Lakers. Wade's introduction in the team will create some interesting situations revolving around the shooting guard spot with young All-Star Jimmy Butler.
ESPN also reports that the Bulls are sending shooter Mike Dunleavy to the 2016 NBA Champions Cleveland Cavaliers for either a second-round draft pick or an overseas player, as star player LeBron James wanted to have Dunleavy as a teammate. Trading Dunleavy frees up $4.8 million in the Bulls' cap room.
Wade's last Playoff appearance was in the recently-concluded NBA Playoffs, losing to the Toronto Raptors in the first round despite regaining his perimeter shooting form. His last Finals appearance was in 2014, against the San Antonio Spurs, while his last championship win was in 2013, also against the Spurs.