The Dwyane Wade era is about to begin in Chicago. “The Chicago Bulls’ Dwyane Wade” will sound odd for a while, but the fact is the NBA superstar, who spent his first 13 years in the league with the Miami Heat, is going home. Wade’s decision to leave the Heat and go to the Bulls has major implications. These are big implications for the Bulls, Heat, Cavaliers, and the NBA Eastern Conference. What does this mean for the various clubs in the NBA East?
Dwyane Wade Era
The phrase “the Chicago Bulls’ Dwyane Wade” may sound a tad folksy. This is due to the romance inherent with one of the NBA’s top players goeing back to play for his hometown team. But once you get past the feelings of nostalgia and romance, this move needs to be seen in terms of its effect. Wade’s decision to go to the Bulls has resulted in a major power shift in the conference. Thus, think of it more as a new age, the Dwyane Wade era.
Last season, the Bulls missed the playoffs by two games. With Dwyane Wade as a Chicago Bull, they have a very good shot at being in the mix when the postseason run starts, as teams in the East battle for eight precious slots. Plus, Wade may elevate the team enough so that they end up in the top tier, the clubs with the four best records, of the NBA East.
The Deal
The Miami Heat had offered Wade $40 million over two years. The Chicago Bulls offered Wade $47 million for two years. Wade noted that it was not an easy decision, but that ultimately in the end he said, “I feel I have made the right choice.”
Although Wade has emphasized that it was a tough choice to leave Miami, the fact is that over the past week or so there have been growing tensions between the Heat and Wade. On Monday, Wade met with Heat owner Mickey Arison in New York and that meeting did not go well.
An undisclosed source who was connected to what was going on at the time said the ESPN, “Miami Dared a very proud man to go home, and that man’s best friend [LeBron James] just won a title by going home.”
Record of Success
Thus, the Dwayne Wade era begins. Of course, the parallels invoked by the two situations of James and Wade are hard to dismiss. Both former Heat players decided to return to their roots. James to his original NBA team and Wade to where he grew up. Both are superstars and both possess transformational powers.
What happened to Miami after Wade arrived? In 13 seasons, they posted a winning percentage of .582, made 11 playoff appearances, and had a postseason win percentage of .613. They also won six conference crowns and three NBA titles. In the 15 years prior to Wade, their winning percentage was .467, they made eight playoff appearances, and had a postseason win percentage was at .392. In that time, the Heat won one conference crown and did not earn an NBA championship.
The New Look Bulls
The Chicago Bulls’ Dwyane Wade era offers the franchise and fans a lot of hope and promise. The Heat will have their work cut out for them this summer. They will need to attempt to fill a gigantic hole. Their problem is there’s very little out there with which to fill it. They may simply disappear from the post-season for a while. The Bulls should move up. Perhaps notching even third or fourth place NBA Eastern Conference finish.
It’s still expected that James and Cleveland will hold the top spot in the East. But after that, it could be a free for all, as both Boston (5th) and Chicago (9th ) have improved their clubs, while Atlanta (4th) and Miami (3rd ) have been diminished. The Dwyane Wade era in Chicago could be one of success and titles.
