Chicago Bulls: Dwyane Wade Leaves Miami For Chicago

Roughly a week after losing their homegrown star in Derrick Rose, Chicago receives another in the form of three-time champion Dwyane Wade

Dwyane Wade, after a week of free agency rumors, has officially stated that he is leaving the Miami Heat to sign with the Chicago Bulls.

The announcement comes after an eventful week of free agency regarding one of the NBA’s most popular franchises.

Wade has been with the Heat since being drafted fifth by the team in 2003. In his open letter released by the Associated Press, Wade thanked the fans in Miami for all of their support through the years.

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Wade stated:

"From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank the Miami community and especially #HEATNATION for all of their love and support over the years. It has been truly incredible. I am deeply moved and appreciative of the positive messages from my fans expressing that they want what’s best for me and I know they will support my decision."

While Wade hasn’t had the same impact on South Florida the way that LeBron James has in Cleveland or Kevin Durant had in Oklahoma, he still leaves the franchise as it’s most beloved star.

His presence with the Heat through the years has been so consistent that one of the more popular phrases is calling Miami’s Dade-County, “Wade-County.”

Regardless, he pointed out that he was born in Robbins, Illinois and that being able to don the Chicago uniform was a childhood dream of his.

The symmetry is certainly not lost on fans of the franchise. After trading away Chicago born Derrick Rose to the New York Knicks, the team gains another Illinois native in Wade.

What this means for the team now is an interesting question.

Jimmy Butler‘s unquestioned status as star and leader of the team is now in doubt.

There is also curiosity to see how Wade will co-exist on the court with the recently signed Rajon Rondo.

Finally, the squad must address the void left behind with the departure of Joakim Noah who also went to the Knicks. Pau Gasol is also expected to sign a deal with the San Antonio Spurs in the coming weeks.

How Chicago fares up-front without two of the premiere big men in the league has yet to be determined.

Luckily, the Bulls have kept young assets like Nikola Mirotic, Doug McDermott, and Bobby Portis who are expected to get better under the supervision of the established veterans.

For the Miami Heat, the future of players like Chris Bosh and Hassan Whiteside become clouded.

If their time in playoff contention is over, does Bosh intend to continue playing after cutting his past two seasons short due to health complications?

must read: Four Trade Destinations For Russell Westbrook

One of the best seasons in the history of the NBA ended less than a month ago, but already the 2017 season is shaping up to blow it out of the water.

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