Report: Wade agrees to 2-year, $47.5M deal with Bulls
Free agent superstar Dwyane Wade has agreed to terms to leave the Miami Heat and sign with the Chicago Bulls, according to The Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski. The deal is reportedly for two years and $47.5 million.
Given Chicago's need to clear cap room in order to accommodate Wade, the deal would be contingent on the Bulls ability to make the finances available. Early reports Wednesday night indicated that the team had found takers for Mike Dunleavy and Jose Calderon.
The news is somewhat staggering as Wade has spent his entire 13-year career in Miami, winning three NBA championships, and often describing himself as a "Heat lifer". Ultimately, the relationship appears to have become undone by the organization's position not to meet Wade's demands.
Wade reportedly met with the Heat on Wednesday in New York, and the team was unwilling to add a third year to the contract, according to Wojnarowski.
The 34-year-old has taken "hometown discounts" in the past - including when the Heat superteam was formed with the arrival of LeBron James in 2010 - but was no longer willing to short himself. At no time in his Heat tenure was Wade the team's highest-paid player, despite being the franchise's all-time leading scorer.
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Wade, a Chicago native, averaged 19 points per contest in 74 games last season - the most he had played since 2010-11.