Wade on signing with Cavs: 'Strictly basketball, it was an easy decision'
It's not hard to see why Dwyane Wade's homecoming with the Chicago Bulls was short-lived.
At 35 years old, Wade is firmly in the third act of his Hall of Fame career with limited opportunities to compete for his fourth championship. Instead of reloading around their 2016-17 core, the Bulls traded star Jimmy Butler for long-term pieces and allowed veteran players like Rajon Rondo to walk in free agency. Wade's eventual buyout was a forgone conclusion, but it was in everyone's best interests.
"I thought me getting out of (Chicago) and them focusing on the young guys, really focusing on their rebuilding process right now, and me getting an opportunity to go somewhere where I wanted to be - and to be able to focus on where my mind is - was the right decision," the newest member of the Cleveland Cavaliers told ESPN's Rachel Nichols.
In a sit-down interview with Nichols, Wade also detailed the choice between joining longtime friend and former Heat teammate LeBron James on the Cavs or returning to Miami to continue his career.
"I can't say sign it was an easy decision because Miami made it hard because my heart is there, of course, and my legacy and everything is there. But from a basketball standpoint right now, strictly basketball, it was an easy decision," Wade told Nichols.
Related - Wade joins Cavs: 'I look forward to reuniting and playing alongside my brother'