Dwyane Wade Leaves Bulls as Both Parties Agree on Contract Buyout
NBA superstar Dwyane Wade's homecoming turned out to be forgetful and short-lived, to say the least.
The 35-year-old Chicago native parted ways with the Bulls after both parties agreed to a contract buyout. The news of Wade's departure was first posted on social media by K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. "The Bulls and Dwyane Wade have reached agreement on a buyout, per sources," Johnson tweeted last Monday.
Wade, for his part, also shared his thoughts on the buyout and expressed no hard feelings for his former team. "I just felt it was time for me, turning 36, that I want to be competing for a championship," said Wade in an interview with the Chicago Tribune. "I said when I got here, it was always a dream for me to play here. And getting that opportunity was special," he added.
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He said that his goal for coming over to Chicago was to "restore" the franchise's "respectability." He said, "the organization decided to go in a different direction, which I respect." He also stressed that he understood "how business works" in the NBA and that he saw that the franchise was moving in a direction that he "didn't want to be a part of."
He also noted the team's young guns who needed to make certain mistakes to learn, develop, and grow as players. "They don't need an old guy like me hanging around them," Wade added.
With the 12-time all-star now a free agent, a number of teams are reportedly on the radar to land the former Finals MVP. According to an ESPN report, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the San Antonio Spurs, and Wade's former team, the Miami Heat, are the primary contenders for Wade's services.
As the league and the rest of the basketball world wait for further developments, the Cavs are said to be the frontrunner in the Wade sweepstakes. It can be recalled that Wade has close ties with Cavs superstar LeBron James who both won back-to-back titles in 2012 and 2013 with the Heat.
