For Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat, business got personal.
As a result, Wade—an iconic 13-year veteran for whom a Miami exit seemed impossible—agreed to a deal with the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, as first reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical. According to Vincent Goodwill of CSNChicago.com, he'll earn $47.5 million over two years.
Wade's decision proved the last few days of meetings with other teams were more than bluffs. More than leverage plays.
They were the manifestation of real dissatisfaction.
The Heat happily accepted Wade's sacrifices in recent seasons; he took less money to facilitate the construction of the Big Three in 2010, then renegotiated his contract in 2014, leaving $11 million on the table so the Heat could spend it on others. And then, this year, when Miami prioritized signing Hassan Whiteside and chasing Kevin Durant ahead of compensating Wade with a new offer, well...it seems that was just too much.
So Wade left, spurning a Heat entreaty of two years and $40 million that was at least $10 million short of the offers he got on the open market, per ESPN's Marc Stein.
Sad as it sounds, this was the shrewd move for Miami. Wade was not a star last year. In the most unfeeling financial terms, he may not be worth the $20 million per year the Heat offered. In fact, there's a decent chance the Heat outperform Chicago this season, especially if team president Pat Riley puts the club's remaining cap space to good use.
It's hard to view things this way, but the Heat acted rationally. Coldly, but rationally.
So much for loyalty and sacrifice going both ways, though.
For all that, Wade handled his exit professionally, per his release to the Associated Press:
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.
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. The memories including championship parades and five conference titles are incredible moments we have shared that will always remain close to my heart as I begin the next chapter of my life.
But why Chicago?
Well, for starters, the Bulls gave Wade the deal he wanted.
Secondly, Wade is from Chicago, so he has the homecoming angle working for him. And though the appeal of playing in front of friends and family is often overblown (see: Kevin Durant not even meeting with the Washington Wizards), it may have been a factor here, per Rajon Rondo's comments to Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated:
There's this, too, from Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com:
For some, maybe the allure of home is real.
Unfortunately, Wade isn't a great fit on this Bulls roster. Spacing figures to be a challenge with Rondo occupying the other guard spot, as ESPN's Robert Mays observed:
Moreover, the notion that Derrick Rose's exit would lead to more playmaking responsibilities for incumbent star Jimmy Butler took yet another hit. Rondo is a player with almost zero value off the ball (his worth when on it is also debatable), and Wade is much the same. While it's true Wade's skills as a cutter are excellent, he's still a non-threat from long range.
Defenses can happily collapse into the lane against the Bulls whenever one of either Wade or Rondo is on the wing. When both are out there together, nobody will have space to operate.
On the other end, it will be difficult for the Bulls to live up to the legacy of stout defense that has defined them for nearly a decade. Rondo is a catastrophe on D, as Sacramento Kings broadcaster Grant Napear noted, per Kevin Anderson of CSN California:
The Heat were a striking 5.5 points per 100 possessions better on defense when Wade sat last year, per NBA.com. Signal-caller Joakim Noah is gone, too.
In addition to turning away from its defensive identity, Chicago has more broadly abandoned its stated goals from earlier in the offseason, per Nick Friedell of ESPN.com:
There's plenty to be said for pivoting when opportunities present themselves, but the Bulls' backcourt additions feel much more like the actions of a team without a clear plan.
As for Wade, it's tempting to ask why he wouldn't consider joining up with LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers for pennies in pursuit of another ring. But for a guy who has given up money and accommodated others for much of his career, it's difficult to begrudge Wade cashing in and going home. He deserves the chance to do what he wants, even if it doesn't make all that much sense.
Do you, D-Wade.
Is It Possible the Warriors Did Something Wrong?
Nobody panic, but it sort of feels like the Golden State Warriors' perfect offseason has its first (nearly invisible, almost certainly inconsequential) blemish.
Brandon Rush agreed to a one-year, $3.9 million contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves, per Stein, making him the first Warriors free agent to get away that they may not have wanted to get away. Golden State could have gone over the cap and paid Rush up to $6.2 million using his Early Bird Rights, per Larry Coon's CBA FAQ. Such a deal is required to be for at least two years, though the Warriors could have made the second partially guaranteed or fully nonguaranteed (h/t RealGM's Daniel Leroux on the CBA nuance).
While $6.2 million might seem steep for a player who likely wouldn't see much time on the court, the Warriors could have also extended the same offer to James Michael McAdoo, then used the combined salary to match in a potential trade later in the year.
Call it a minor missed opportunity to add a meaningful piece via trade down the line—one that may not ultimately matter given Golden State's depth and the ease with which it has attracted veterans on the cheap. But a missed opportunity nonetheless.
Combined with Leandro Barbosa taking a two-year, $8 million deal with the Phoenix Suns, per Wojnarowski, and the Dubs have lost a good chunk of last year's backcourt depth.
Perhaps Rush wanted a shot to play a bigger role elsewhere, which he'll get with the Wolves. If he proves he still has rotation-worthy three-and-D value, he could make a killing in next summer's market.
Knicks' Loss Is Pelicans' Gain
Per the terms of his one-year contract, Brandon Jennings will cost the New York Knicks $5 million in 2016-17, per Goodwill. He'll also cost them 2015 second-team All-Rookie guard Langston Galloway.
Clearing the cap space necessary to sign Jennings required the Knicks to rescind Galloway's $2.7 million qualifying offer. The New Orleans Pelicans swooped in and grabbed the Baton Rouge native Wednesday, agreeing on a two-year deal, which ESPN's Marc Stein first reported.
Entrusting point guard duties to Jennings and Derrick Rose—and turning away from Galloway—makes sense in a Knicks offseason clearly guided by short-term interests. Four-year deals for Joakim Noah and Courtney Lee further underscore the be-respectable-now mantra.
Galloway is no star, but with just two years of experience, he might improve. Already a strong defender at either backcourt position, Galloway could easily solidify himself as a starting-caliber talent by adding just a percentage point or two to his career three-point accuracy rate of 34.8 percent.
For that reason, ESPN.com's Kevin Pelton didn't dig the Knicks' thinking: "Losing Galloway is a tough blow for a Knicks team short on young talent. If this was the price of signing Brandon Jennings to a one-year, $5 million deal earlier in the week, I'd rather have Galloway. Jennings is a bargain, too, but Galloway could have been part of New York's future for much longer than Jennings likely will be."
Galloway will join fellow new signee E'Twaun Moore, per Goodwill, and first-rounder Buddy Hield in the Pelicans' backcourt rotation. Jrue Holiday and Tyreke Evans, who should probably see more time at small forward anyway, are the incumbents with Eric Gordon skipping town on a new deal in Houston, per Wojnarowski.
So, anyway, this was six paragraphs on a player who won't start for his new team and would have been the third-best point guard on his old one (this year). Welcome to Day 6 of NBA free agency!
Houston Gets Its Backup Center
The injury risk will always be there, but if the Houston Rockets can manage Nene's minutes, they've got themselves a bargain for $2.9 million, according to Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated.
Nene has missed at least 15 games in each of the past four seasons, but his rebound and assist rates actually ticked upward last year—perhaps because the Wizards cut a few minutes of playing time off his per-game average.
With Clint Capela slotted in as the starter and head coach Mike D'Antoni likely to utilize smaller options often, Nene won't be called upon for major minutes. In spot duty against the right matchups, he'll be a useful defender in the paint, capable passer and solid shooter from anywhere inside 18 feet.
Also, so much for worries about the cap spike leading to massive overpays on every deal. Nene joins Warriors signee Zaza Pachulia in the $2.9 million, one-year-deal club, per Shams Charania of The Vertical.
Full Recap of News and Signings on Day 6
Dwyane Wade agreed on a two-year, $47.5 million deal with the Bulls, per Wojnarowski. Goodwill had the terms, and Woj followed up with news the second year was a player option.
To fit Wade's salary, the Bulls sent Mike Dunleavy to the Cavs, per K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune.
Chicago will also send Jose Calderon to the Los Angeles Lakers, per Wojnarowski. Los Angeles gets two future second-round picks for taking Calderon's salary into cap space, per Mike Bresnahan of TWC SportsNet.
Nene agreed with the Houston Rockets on a one-year, $2.9 million deal, according to Wojnarowski.
Brandon Rush agreed to a one-year, $3.5 million deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves, per Stein.
The New Orleans Pelicans are nearing a deal with Langston Galloway, per Stein.
Brian Roberts agreed to return to the Charlotte Hornets next season on a one-year contract for the veteran's minimum contract, per Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer.
The Dallas Mavericks traded Jeremy Evans to the Indiana Pacers, per Wojnarowski. Dallas also sent cash along with Evans.
Richard Jefferson announced he would sign a two-year contract with the Cavs (h/t Rachel Nichols of ESPN).
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