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Chicago Bulls player reviews: Dwyane Wade

By Michael Whitlow

Apr 18, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Dwyane Wade (3) controls the ball during the first quarter in game two of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 18, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Dwyane Wade (3) controls the ball during the first quarter in game two of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports /
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If the Chicago Bulls had gotten the 2009-10 version of Dwyane Wade (they wanted many years ago) that they didn’t get in the 2016-17 season, maybe things would’ve gone differently for Wade and the Bulls this year.

Dwyane Wade: 60 games played (59 starts) | Per game averages: 18.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists

43.4 field goal percentage (lowest of career), 31.0 3-point shooting percentage on 2.4 attempts per game (second-highest mark of career) and a 45.7 effective field goal percentage (lowest of career)

There’s no denying Dwyane Wade’s place among the all-time great shooting guards and the all-time great players in NBA history. He’s a three-time NBA Champion, a 12-time NBA All-Star, an eight-time All-NBA member and a former NBA Finals MVP (2006).

Unfortunately for Wade, his time in the NBA among the league’s most elite athletes and overall players is over. That was brought to the light not just because a few missed gimmes he had at the rim during the Chicago Bulls’ loss in six games to the Boston Celtics in the playoffs.

At 35 years old, Wade had one of the worst seasons of his NBA career in his first year back home with the Bulls. Father Time is infinity-2 thanks to the late-career seasons of Tim Duncan and Vince Carter, but it doesn’t appear that Wade is going to make it three losses anytime soon.

The Flash that was seen on a nightly basis during his younger days with the Miami Heat is now gone.

During his first season away from South Beach in his NBA career, Wade had some throwback moments that made him making more money than even Jimmy Butler this season actually make sense.

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There was the dagger bucket in the corner against the Celtics on Opening Night. The dunk on the entire city of Phoenix. And of course, the comments after one of the weirdest losses of the season in the locker room that led to the Rajon Rondo Instagram post that brought a ton of attention to the Bulls and not necessarily in a good way.

As for Wade’s play, it’s clear that he’s 35 years old. The burst just isn’t there anymore. The consistency to play every night isn’t there after all of those minutes logged in his first 13 NBA seasons. His lack of effort on defense was troubling all season long, along with the injury bug biting him later in the season with an elbow injury that originally was thought to keep him out for the rest of the year.

To his credit, Wade would return late in the year, but it was clear that there wasn’t much left for him to give the Bulls and that showed in the final four games of the series against Boston after Rondo’s fractured thumb flipped the series upside down.

Despite a couple 20-point performances in those six games, Wade shot 37.8 from the field overall, including a 1-for-10 shooting performance in the final game of the series.

So, what will Wade and the Bulls do for the 2017-18 season?

Well, what is Wade going to do is the real question. Wade has a player option on his two-year, roughly $47 million deal for next season, so the ball is in his court on what his future holds. His cap hold on the Bulls’ salary cap is $30.9 million in 2018. Does he stay in Chicago for at least one more year and then retire/look elsewhere for another opportunity?

This is what Wade said at his season exit interview, via Sean Highkin of The Athletic Chicago:

Wade also added at his exit interview another thought about his future at the exit interview that will definitely bring interest .

“I don’t need to ring chase. But I can. It’s a great luxury to have,” Wade said.

The whole plea for this season from the Bulls front office pairing of John Paxson and Gar Forman was to get “younger and more athletic.” Wade doesn’t fit that mold, but his future and a part of the Bulls’ future rides on what Wade decides to do.

Next: Bulls player reviews: Rajon Rondo

If he does return and is the player from this season, it’ll continue to set the Bulls back farther from actually rebuilding a shattered franchise.

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