Report: Dwyane Wade will return to Bulls
By Mike Barner
Dwyane Wade has reportedly informed the Chicago Bulls he will pick up his player option for next season.
The Chicago Bulls appear to still be deciding on what direction to move the franchise in as the NBA Draft approaches. However, they received some clarification Tuesday as Dwyane Wade has informed the team he will pick up his player option for next season, according to an ESPN source.
By exercising his player option and returning to the Bulls for a second season, Wade will make $23.8 million in 2017-18. It comes as little surprise that he exercised the option as it would be unlikely he could receive that kind of money on the open market.
Wade only played 60 games in his first season with the Bulls. He finished with averages of 18.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.4 steals per game. While he only shot 43.4 percent from the field, he did shoot 31.0 percent from behind the arc, the second highest percentage of his career.
The Bulls made the playoffs as the eighth seed but lost in the first round to the Boston Celtics, largely because of the injury to point guard Rajon Rondo. Wade struggled in the series as he only averaged 15.0 points per game on 37.2 percent shooting from the field.
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The Bulls are right in the middle of the rumor mill heading into Thursday’s draft as the team contemplates whether or not to trade All-Star forward Jimmy Butler. The Bulls also have to decide if they are going to exercise their team option on Rondo.
If the Bulls were thinking of going into a full rebuild by trading Butler and declining Rondo’s option, they may decide to alter those plans with Wade back in the fold. For a franchise that has struggled to move in a definitive direction of late, at least they know Wade will be back heading into draft night.