Wade: Free agency about ‘player relationships more than anything’

NBA free agency has taken a very different path in recent years, something Dwyane Wade knows firsthand.

Wade entertained offers from multiple teams this past summer, but ultimately decided to move back home and sign a two-year, $47-million deal with Chicago. The future Hall of Famer says modern free agency - like the league itself - is about relationships.

"The league is different today," the Marquette alum told ESPN’s Nick Friedell. "The league is all about relationships, player relationships. Obviously presidents and GMs have their job to do to put teams together, but when it comes to free agency, that's player relationships more than anything.”

Player pitches and campaigns to get high-level free agents have become the norm, and are now seemingly essential to the free-agency process. This past summer, the Golden State Warriors were among teams whose star players ventured to The Hamptons to pitch Kevin Durant on joining them, which evidently worked for the Dubs.

Beyond management putting together pitches to available free agents, star players from prospective teams have also become essential in extolling the virtues of their team. Wade cited Jimmy Butler’s efforts in reaching out to him as a key to his decision to take his talents to the Windy City.

"If the star player on the team doesn't reach out to me then I don't think he's really excited about me coming there," Wade continued. "If Jimmy don't reach out to me then I'm not coming to Chicago because I don't think Jimmy wants me here. But Jimmy reaches out to me and says, 'D, I want you to come,' it's a different - that's simple right there. It's hard to change my mindset and everything."

Knowing Butler had his back made things easier for Wade, but even he didn’t think that he would ever be wearing a Bulls logo on his chest.

“No one ever thought I would be in a Chicago Bulls jersey, but I am, so things happen. And you never know what can happen when it comes to free agency."