Following the infamous trade of Jimmy Butler to the Minnesota Timberwolves, the NBA superstar and veteran Dwyane Wade is now the center of trade talks. Apparently, he just signed a new deal or contract with the Chicago Bulls, which should veer him away from a possible trade. However, a source close to him said otherwise.
According to Chicago Sun-Times, Dwyane Wade informed the Bulls’ front office that he would move forward with his player option for the upcoming season. The figure involved was a whopping $23.8 million, which should be enough to keep him out of the market.
Unfortunately, he later found out that Butler had been traded to the Wolves.
Testing his professionalism
The Miami Heat superstar was reportedly on a vacation with Butler when news about the Bulls letting go of Butler broke out. The latter was traded alongside the team’s 16th overall pick to the Minnesota for two guards: Kris Dunn and Zack LaVine. The trade also involved a seventh pick, who turned out to be Lauri Markkanen, for Chicago.
Interestingly, a source close to Dwyane Wade insisted that if Butler was moved, which he was, Wade would opt for a buy-out. Later on, one of the members of the Chicago Bulls’ front office was asked about the unnamed source’s comment and said, “We truly believe that Dwyane will handle the situation professionally.” This came right after the deal with Butler and the Wolves happened.
An open-minded Wade
In one way or another, Dwyane Wade’s professionalism here will be tested. After all, he already signed the necessary paperwork and thus made the deal impeccable. But of course, there is always a way around most especially when a player asks for a buy-out. It holds true, though, that back in May, he said things about being an “open-minded” person and that he would accept whatever scenario he would come to face in Chicago.
“I’m always open to a lot of things,” Dwyane Wade said when asked about playing a sixth-man role. The arrival of LaVine and Dunn confirms the speculation that the Bulls intend to go for a run-and-gun team. This trade also hints that the front office wants fresher legs to come work for the team. This easily puts Wade, who is past his prime, in a sixth-man position.
While he assured the fans about being an open-minded player, his possible move following the Butler trade cannot be taken for granted. He might just forget the $23.8 million deal and move to a better team in the league. Cleveland, perhaps?
