Negating questions of a departure, former Miami Heat great Dwyane Wade is now expected to accept his $23.8 million player option and rejoin the Chicago Bulls. This report comes after Chicago Tribune Bulls’ beat writer K.C. Johnson suggested the front office expects the guard’s return.
The Bulls will enter a world with a significantly lower amount of market flexibility if Dwyane Wade does in fact accept the 2017-18 player option that’s on the table for him next season. The likelihood of trading Jimmy Butler may be deflated. The odds of moving up in the draft will be thrown out the window.
What’s evident is the $23.8 million salary for a guy who caused more problems than he solved last season. The investment in Wade, in addition to the investment in Rajon Rondo, signaled a turn towards contention. While the two-year contracts made the window appear short, it was supposed to be open.
Instead, the Bulls’ starters looked old and slow, with the exception of Jimmy Butler. The bench, on the other hand, looked young and confused. There will be limited financial wiggle room to fix either unit, so now the draft picks at No. 16 and 38 matter infinitely more.
Translation?
The Chicago Bulls, who went a meager 41-41 last season, have to rely on one of two things:
- The league’s best offseason
- Dwyane Wade’s return to greatness
Due to Gar Forman and John Paxson, it’s hard to imagine the former. Wade’s return to the great player we used to know? Actually, I’d say it’s probably equally unlikely.
Accepting that money means the Bulls need more from you
When Dwyane Wade was healthy last season, granted it was just 60 of the 82 games, Wade was not particularly effective. With a lackluster 43.4 shooting percentage from the field, Wade averaged just 18.3 points per contest.
Consider Wade’s offensive rating (points created per 100 possessions) of 103 as an omen for his lack of scoring effectiveness. His box plus/minus of just one isn’t special. His 3.4 win shares is stunningly average. Take a peek at his player efficiency rating of 18.5, which is 3.5 points above the league average.
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Dwyane Wade, in fact, is a 35-year-old basketball player.
For fun, compare it to the 39-year-old Michael Jordan season with the Washington Wizards. That was Jordan’s worst season by a large margin. Jordan still averaged 20 points a game and shot 44.5 percent from the field.
Last offseason, the Bulls signed a contract to a 12-time NBA All-Star and three-time NBA Champion. This is a guy who was absolutely great in Miami. They did not see the product they paid for on the floor.
Expecting more out of Wade is like expecting your kid not to get a D on his spelling test. You KNOW he could do better, but it looks like he’s not even trying.
Plus, when the playoffs came around, the former Finals MVP was shaky at best. Only twice in the series against Boston did Wade have a positive plus/minus. That came in Games 1 and 2 when he was +3 and +22 respectively. In the remaining four games, Wade was -45. That’s a guy with three rings.
If nothing else, Wade needs to be a leader
Last season, Wade proved to be, at times, more of a distraction than a contributor. Wade, a supposed leader, provided little-to-no regards for practice during stretches last season. Cataloging these events best was Rajon Rondo’s Instagram assault of his teammate.
Failing to contribute on the court is one thing, seen best by walk-on players who hold guys back after dunks in college basketball. When you hurt your team off the court, you’re doing more damage than good.
Wade had his moments last season, transcending the Miami player fans know best. The future Hall of Fame guard still has a lot of “it” when the light switch flips to the on position. However, all of that is lost when you’re not acting like a leader.
Due to his large salary figure, it’s unlikely the Bulls will have the financial means to ink a new contributor. In the mean time, it’s up to guys on this roster, like Dwyane Wade, to contribute what his salary illustrates.
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With such a young bench and guys like Cameron Payne and Denzel Valentine, Wade could at least act like a veteran. If nothing else comes of this contract, acting in a mentor role to younger guys could be worth his contract. That’s what great players do, and frankly, it would be a welcome role for the aging guard.
If Wade isn’t great, then he’s wasting the Bulls’ time.