Wade move a bad look for Heat, a bad deal for Bulls
Dwyane Wade is an NBA legend - a future Hall of Famer who in his peak rivaled some of the best shooting guards to ever play the position. Of this, there's no doubt.
Unfortunately, that's not the player the Chicago Bulls have acquired. Of this, there's also little doubt, as Wade's move from Miami to his hometown is the rare transaction that appears to be a net-loss for both teams.
Having sacrificed for the Heat before, Wade was expecting the only franchise he's ever known to make him whole this summer. He may no longer be worth maximum value on the court, but for a Heat team that's often trumpeted loyalty, culture, and structure under Pat Riley's reign, there was something to be said for rewarding Wade's team-first approach in recent offseasons.
Not to mention, without Dwyane Wade in Miami, there's no Shaquille O'Neal pulling up to American Airlines Arena in a diesel truck, no LeBron James taking his talents to South Beach, no Chris Bosh, and likely no titles.
In that regard, Miami was probably the only place where Wade was worth the kind of money he's reportedly set to sign for.
The way his free agency played out, with Wade telling Kelly Ripa that Pat Riley never even called him during the process, is a bad look for the Heat, who barring a return to form from Chris Bosh, now turn over the franchise's keys to an already-maxed-out Hassan Whiteside.
Related: Wade's top-5 moments in Miami
The Bulls don't look much better.
As inspiring as Wade appeared during this year's postseason, he's clearly an aging star on the decline.
| Dwyane Wade | PTS per 100 poss. | eFG% | FTA per FGA | WORP per yr. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seasons 1-11 | 111 | 50.6 | .469 | 13.05 |
| Seasons 12-13 | 103 | 47.1 | .342 | 4.32 |
(Stats courtesy Basketball Reference)
Barring unlikely renaissances as shooters, two-guards who have spent their careers relying on athletic explosiveness, getting to the rim, and getting to the free-throw line don't often turn things around after nearly 37,000 NBA minutes at age-34.
Wade was a two-way force in the backcourt, the likes of which has rarely been seen. Now he's a defensive liability and an often inefficient scorer, and that's the type of player the Bulls have to expect for the next two years.
The Bulls didn't need a starry name to sell tickets, and they certainly weren't a veteran piece away from contention, which is why the move makes so little sense for Chicago.
This wasn't a discounted homecoming to feel nostalgic about. The Bulls seemingly needed to outbid everyone except the Denver Nuggets to add an aging, non-shooting guard just days after they added another, once again taking away from Jimmy Butler's touches and space, only weeks after finally sending Derrick Rose packing.
Wade can't be faulted for getting his money and going home in what might be his last big contract, but there are questions to be asked of both the Heat and the Bulls in the aftermath.