J-Speaks: Three-Time NBA Champion Comes Home to "Windy City"

With the No. 5 overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, the Miami Heat selected a player that would eventually become a transformative figure in South Florida. In 13 seasons, this young man born in Chicago, IL and played his college ball at Marquette not only became the all-time leader in a number of team categories, he led them to multiple titles. He did all of this while sacrificing some financial gains to allow team President Pat Riley and owner Micky Arison to bring in players like LeBron James and Chris Bosh to help deliver those championships. This off-season however, Wade wanted to reap the rewards of that sacrifice. Unfortunately the team was not willing to pay Wade, who is on the back nine of his eventual Hall of Fame career. So he decided to entertain offers from others team. He accepted one offer, from the team that watched growing up and emulating, especially one of the greatest to ever do it on the professional hardwood.

This past Wednesday night, the 12-time All-Star and eight-time All-NBA selection announced in a letter that was released by The Associated Press that he was leaving the Heat and signing with the Chicago Bulls. It is a two-year deal worth $47.5 million.

“This has been an extremely emotional and tough decision to come to. After 13 years, I have decided to embark on a new journey with the Chicago Bulls,” Wade said in a letter to the AP this past Wednesday. “This was not an easy decision, but I feel I have made the right choice for myself and my family.”

“Watching the Bulls growing up inspired me at an early age to pursue my dream of becoming a basketball player. My most treasured memories were watching my dad play basketball on the courts of Fermi Elementary School and developing my game at the Blue Island Recreation Center. I have never forgotten where I came from, and I am thankful to have an opportunity to play for the team that first fueled my love for the game.”

How difficult of a decision was this for the guy former teammate and current NBATV/NBA on TNT analyst Shaquille O’Neal nicknamed “Flash,” he told Kelly Ripa, who he co-hosted on “Live with Kelly,” on ABC this past Thursday that he couldn’t even eat or sleep as he made the decision to sign with the Bulls.

“I lost probably five to 10 pounds just not being able to eat,” Wade said during the host chat at the beginning of the show 48 hours ago.

Wade also took a few moments during host chat to give his thanks to Heat fans who cheered him over the years through the good times and the tough times both on and off the court.

“We call it Heat nation, just around the world, just by the way they embraced me. This little shy kid from Chicago came from Milwaukee to Miami and really grew up, and we did some special things together,” he said. “I didn’t do it by myself. I had some unbelievable teammates along the way.”  

Besides winning three titles with the Heat, with the last two via back-to-back in 2012 and 2013 playing alongside James and Bosh, he became the franchise leader in points scored (3,781); 30-plus point playoff games with 34; 40-plus point performances (7); field goals made (1,387); free throws made (910); rebounds (877); assists (828); steals (261), games played (166) and minutes at (6,380).

With all that Wade has done for the Heat organization, the blood, sweat and tears he has given, the question is how did it get to the point where hands down the most important player in Miami Heat history not get re-signed to where he could finish his eventual Hall of Fame career?

One way to look at it is that the organization felt that Wade would stay, especially after all that he has done for the Heat. The team felt that him taking meeting with the likes of the Denver Nuggets, Milwaukee Bucks and the Bulls were more like leverage to get the over $20 million per year for three years.

The other part of this is that Wade in his 13 seasons with the Heat had never been the highest paid player on the team. In fact according to NBATV/NBA on TNT insider David Aldridge, Wade had sacrificed $10 million in the four-year that LeBron James and Chris Bosh came on the scene and that Wade felt it was time that he recouped some of that money that he sacrificed for the success of the organization, which resulted in four straight appearances in The Finals.

Unfortunately, the Heat felt they had to take care of who they hope is their star player of the future in Hassan Whiteside, who did agree to new four-year $98 million deal during the NBA Free Agency Moratorium.

From the Heat side of the situation, they felt they had to move at a swift pace to re-sign Whiteside who averaged 14.2 points, 11.8 rebounds and 3.7 blocks per game this past season because the Dallas Mavericks were in hot pursuit.

What really darkened the mood of this whole thing from Wade’s perspective, according to Ethan Skolnick of The Miami Herald was the doomed pursuit of prized free agent Kevin Durant, who earlier this week signed with the back-to-back Western Conference champion Golden State Warriors.

The Heat unfortunately were not willing to trade away the likes of forward Josh McRoberts and starting lead guard Goran Dragic in order reach the number they could offer Wade, who is now 34 years of age to finish his career in South Beach.

“The relationship in South Beach had got a little sour because there is no way you stay somewhere for 13 years and give it your all every day from start to finish you were for Miami sort to speak,” NBATV analyst Dennis Scott, who jokingly said that Wade was trading in Gucci flip flops for Gucci boots said on NBATV’s “Gametime on Wednesday.

“To see them not finish this thing up properly, once again Casey [Stern], I’m shocked because D-Wade was Wade County. He’s been there his whole life.”

If there is one thing that this situation has brought to light, which has happened on many occasions is that this game of professional sports is a business. That at some point, the team is going to have to close the chapter on an important player of their history.

With that being said, the emotions from fans can be very raw and emotional, particularly when they know that the days ahead without that great player like Wade will be very rough.

In the words of longtime Heat sideline reporter for FOX Sports Sun Sports and radio host Jason, “This is going to rough for Heat fans. It’s going to be real rough.”

Jackson on Wednesday on NBATV’s “Gametime” said in his humble opinion that Wade had surpassed the Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino, who played his entire 17-year NFL career with the Miami Dolphins.

By winning three titles, Wade according to Jackson had become the greatest professional athlete in South Florida, a place where the sport of football was king for a long time.

“I do know that the Heat love Dwyane Wade and wanted to get a deal done,” Jackson said. “After experiencing what DeAndre Jordan went through last year, you never know.”

In this case we do know that Wade will be moving on join the Bulls. There will be no grand march by the Heat to bring Wade back.

He will be moving on to a team that is looking to have a bounce back season after missing the playoffs for the first time since 2008.

Since the conclusion of last season, the Bulls have been very busy remaking the roster. They traded star lead guard and 2011 MVP Derrick along with guard Justin Holiday to the New York Knicks in exchange for center Robin Lopez and Jerian Grant back in June. They officially signed guard Rajon Rondo to a two-year $28 million deal earlier this week.

The addition of Wade came about thanks to the trade of guard Jose Calderon who has dealt to the Los Angeles Lakers along with two future second-round draft picks in exchange for draft rights to Ater Majok and guard/forward Mike Dunleavy was dealt to the World Champion Cleveland Cavaliers.

On paper, the new additions to Bulls alongside All-Star swingman Jimmy Butler and solid young players like forwards Doug McDermott, Nikola Mirotic, Bobby Portis and rookie guard Denzel Valentine make them a playoff contender for the 2016-17 season.

Three big questions come right to the forefront about this roster. Can they play a high tempo style, which Head Coach Fred Hoiberg wants to employ this upcoming season?

Can Rondo, Wade and Butler co-exist together on the hardwood in terms of their skill sets meshing together?

The big question is there enough perimeter shooting on this roster so that teams are not sagging off the likes of Rondo, who perimeter shot has always been in question and can Wade consistently knock down shots from the edges, which is where he will more often than not operate at the offensive end.

It is one thing to begin a new chapter in your professional career. It is another to do it in the twilight of it. The good thing in this case is that Wade gets the opportunity to do it in a place that he is familiar with. He gets to stay in the Eastern Conference where he can go against the Heat three to four times a season to remind them of what he has always done on the hardwood. On top of that he is now in the same division the Central as James and the NBA champion Cavs.

While he begins the final lap of his career that will land him in the Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA when it has concluded, he will never forget where the journey began and who gave him the shot of making his childhood dream of playing in the National Basketball Association a reality and it will hopefully be rewarded when he does retire with a statue in front of the American Airlines Arena and his jersey hanging in the rafters inside.

“I started my NBA career with the Miami Heat in 2003 and it has been an honor to have played with them and help build a winning franchise with three NBA championships. I look back with pride and amazement at all we have accomplished together. I want to express my gratitude to the Arison family, Pat Riley, Coach Erik Spoelstra, the coaching staff, and the entire Miami Heat organization…,” Wade said.

Information, statistics and quotations are courtesy of 7/1/16 2 p.m.-7 p.m. “Free Agent Fever on NBATV with Kristen Ledlow, Dennis Scott, Sam Mitchell and David Aldridge; 7/7/16 11 p.m. edition of NBATV’s “Gametime” with Casey Stern, Dennis Scott and David Aldridge; http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miami_Heat; 7/7/16 9 a.m. edition of “Live with Kelly” on WABC with host Kelly Ripa and guest co-host Dwyane Wade; www.nba.com 7/7/16 upi.com article “Chicago Bulls trade Mike Dunleavy, Jr. to Cleveland Cavaliers,” by Alex Butler; 7/7/16 nba.com/Lakers story on acquisition of Jose Calderon; www.google.com.